tf
A^f
^.L-EN COUNTY PUBLIC LI
f
3 1833 02814 6709
Gc 974.901 C14h
Hist o r y o f C a m d e n C o u n t y i n
the Great War, 1917-1918
Gl^C&C^S*
cAj^Z*-^-
10
HISTORY
OF
CAMDEN COUNTY
IN THE
GREAT WAR
1917—1918
Authorized by the Victory Jubilee and
Memorial Committee and published by
the Publicity and Historical Committee
FRANK SHERIDAN,
Chairman
CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, : NINETEEN NINETEEN
Mien C
900 V
P0 Bi
COPYRIGHT
BY
FRANK SHERIDAN.
x^SjIsv
©HAPRSS&EWWG,
HON. WOODROW WILSON
President of the United States
FOREWORD
RECORDS and facts published in this history were
gathered from authoritative sources. When the
Publicity and Historical Committee was authorized by the
Victory Jubilee and Memorial Committee to compile this
history the Government was asked for an official list of the
heroic dead of Camden county. The War Department
replied that it was a physicial impossibility for their
bureaus to furnish such information because of the great
number of men in service of the nation. The members
of the committee, with the aid of che police, secured the
information for their records by visiting the homes of
those who died in the war and having their relatives fill
out questionnaires printed by the Victory Jubilee and
Memorial Committee.
The members of the Publicity and Historical Com-
mittee were newspapermen of the city and county and
the facts relative to Camden county's part in the war
were gathered from accounts written by them during the
war. The histories of the famous Twenty-ninth and
Seventy-eighth Divisions were written from the records
published in official newspapers of the American Ex-
peditionary Forces and from data supplied by officers of
these divisions.
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
Publicity and Historical
Committee
®
Frank Sheridan, Chairman
Frank H. Ryan, Secretary
Benjamin W. Courter
Frank S. Albright
Charees J. Haaga
James L. Poek
Charees H. Schuck
Wieeiam B. Wells
Richard B. Ridgway
Daniel P. McConnell
Alvah M. Smith
Daniel M. Stevens
John D. Courter
William H. Jeeeerys
William Roth man
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
INTRODUCTORY
WHEN war was declared by the United States
against the Imperial Government of Germany
after many overt acts that had aroused the ire of every
patriotic American, Camden entered into the preparation
made throughout the country to administer the decisive
blow against the enemy with a spirit that evidenced its
thorough sincerity in the great cause of civilization. Men
and women in all walks of life not only volunteered their
services for whatever work that might be assigned to
them, but were so insistent in being accepted that those in
charge of the various phases of the war program had
great difficulty in making selections. As time went on
there was real work for everyone and it may be stated
there were no shirkers in Camden city or county.
At the very outbreak of hostilities many Camden
county boys enlisted immediately in the various army or
navy services. They were scattered over the country in
many camps and on the high seas. Particular interest
was manifested in the old Third Regiment, with a glor-
ious history stretching back to the days of the Sixth
Regiment formed soon after the Civil War; Battery B;
the newly formed company of Engineers and the Naval
Reserves. Their service has cast enduring honor upon
Camden and all the towns and boroughs within the
county. Some failed to return because they made the
great sacrifice, either on land or sea, and these will re-
main Camden county's heroes.
Charles H. Ellis, Mayor of Camden, formed a Public
Safety Committee of the city's leading men early in the
war, and this body of staunch Americans looked after
the many problems that presented themselves in the pre-
liminaries. This body continued in service throughout the
IO CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
war and took an active part in the various activities. It
was finally resolved into the Victory Committee after the
signing of the armistice and under this name planned the
home-coming receptions to the heroes of the city and
county.
From time to time there were campaigns, drives and
the like and in every instance the county arose to the
emergency. In the four Liberty Loans and one Victory
Loan nearly $39,000,000 was raised by the citizens, giving
substantial evidence of regard for country. In the Red
Cross, Y. M. C. A., Knights of Columbus, Salvation
Army, Y. M. H. A. and other drives, including the
United War Work Campaign, there was even more than
generous response, because in every instance the quota
sought was exceeded. It was not only the man of means
who subscribed, but the man or woman who worked for
comparatively small wages who was willing to make the
sacrifices necessary and thus exemplify their sincere
patriotism.
In an industrial way Camden has occasion to feel very
much elated over what was accomplished. The great
shipyards, employing thousands of men, worked day
and night under the Emergency Fleet Corporation turn-
ing out ships "and more ships," establishing a world
record at the New York Shipbuilding plant in launching
the Tuckahoe in twenty-eight days after the keel was
laid. The factories were transformed into munition
works and throughout the city and in various parts of the
county everything was given over to a variety of work
necessary to the war. Camden workers not only made
ships, but airplane parts, ammunition and all sorts of
machinery. All entered into the task with the true
American spirit to accomplish the work presented to them
and it is unnecessary to add their efforts were not in vain.
In connection with the work of the draft boards it was
a revelation as to the manner in which the young man-
hood responded. As members of the 78th Division or
y
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE C-REAT WAR. II
other units that went over the seas they acquitted them-
selves with honor. The draft boards were composed of
some of the county's leading men who devoted much
time without compensation. That it was hard and diffi-
cult work was recognized by all who came in contact with
the task.
When the armistice was signed on November n, 1918,
Camden was in the very midst of wartime activity. It
was rather difficult for a time to retard the motion of
this rapidly moving machine, but in the subsequent
months of reconstruction, as important as in the height
of war itself, the city and county continued to do their
share of the work in bringing back normal conditions.
There was co-operation along all lines, evidencing the
very sensible balance maintained here as distinct from
the upheavals that marked some places in other parts of
the country. In looking over the two and more years of
war and reconstruction in which the community played
a prominent part, the citizens cannot help but feel very
much gratified with what was accomplished. What was
done, what our boys did and the many activities incident
to Camden in wartime is given in the succeeding pages in
some circumstantial detail.
12 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
' \ A / E weep to-day over their graves be
V V cause they are our flesh and
blood, but even in our sorrow we are
proud that they so nobly died, and our
hearts swell within us to think that we
fought beside them. To the memory of
these heroes this sacred spot is consecrated
as a shrine where future generations of
men who love liberty may come to do
homage. It is not for us to proclaim
what they did; their silence speaks more
eloquently than words. But it is for us
to uphold the conception of duty, honor
and country for which they fought and
for which they died. It is for us, the
living, to carry forward their purpose
and make fruitful their sacrifice.
"And now, dear, comrades, farewell.
Here under the clear skies on the green
hillsides and amid the flowering fields
of France, in the quiet hush of peace,
we leave you forever in God's keeping."
GENERAL JOHN J. PERSHING,
At Argonne Forest Memorial Day, 1919.
CAMDEN COUNTY IN Till- GREAT WAR. 1 }
[Copyright by Harris & Ewing]
GENERAL JOHN J. PERSHING
Commander-in-Chief of American Expeditionary Forces
CAMDEN COUNTY IX THE GREAT WAR.
15
(Ilctmben (ilintnty's ffwaic Jleaft
William S. Ablett
Lawrence S. Adams
John Robert Adams
Thomas J. Allen, Jr.
Albert J. Atger
John Benj. H. Baker
Arlington Baltimore
David Barnaby
Frederick H. Baynes
Otto H. Bean
Edwin Beckley
Charles Behrend
Walter J. Behrer
Ralph Benner
Chester L. Bennett
Carl F. Bicker
David T. Borland
Benjamin Borstein
Allen H. Bossert
Henry J. Bowes
George A. Bowers
John Otto Boyson
Jack Brody
Joseph Brznszkiewicz
William J. Burke
Walter Ernest Butsch
Frank J. Carver
Robert H. Carr
Howard W. Cassady
Louis J. Certain
Robert F. Christy
John Joseph Clynes
William Coonrod
Joseph F. Covert
William Craig
John Cunningham
Jacob F. Currie
Charles T. Daniels
Gean Davidson
Tasker H. Davidson
John T. Deighan
Philip Diaz
Leon A. Dickinson
Alfred W. Dilks
Edward H. Dorsey
Otto Dreher
Ernest Eckersley
Ralph B. Elder
Hammitt K. Elliott
Christopher Evans, Jr.
Frank M. Falls
Nicola Fanello
William J. Farrell
Henry P. Favereau
Jacob Feidman
James Fornek
Raymond C. Freeh
Silas Furbush
Richard Giest
Stanislaw Gontarski
Fred W. Grigg
H. Rowland Gross
Howard W. Haines
William S. Hey
William M. Hickman
Percy L. Hollinshed
William Hoyle
Elmer Hunt
John T. Hyland
Howard Jordan
Emerson J. Kane
Clarence E. Kantz
Enos S. Kimble
Herman John King
Walter J. Kirk
Wm. S. Laskowski
Leon A. Lippincott
Edgar Burton Lloyd
Edward M. McGowan
James A. McGuckin
Hersey Mander
Anthony Martin
Charles A. Mathews
Edwin M. Matthews
Edward B. May
Robert E. Meggett
John H. Meisle
Allan Irving Morgan
Angelo Mucci
James L. Murray
Walter Murray
James Murtha
Norman Nicholson
John A. Overland
Noah J. Palmer
Leon P. Parker
Bert Pennington
Oliver R. Purnell
John Howard Read
Cornelius Redd
Samuel J. Reichard
Richard L. Reighn
James E. Reynolds
Harry Roles
David H. Ross
Benjamin J. Sandlow
A. T. Schleicher, Jr.
William Schucker
John J. Sheldon
Kenneth L. Steck
Harry A. Steeple
Edw. J. Steigerwald
Fred D. Stimpson
Eben Stout
William P. Tatem
George E. Trebing
Raymond C. Thoirs
Albert C. Thompson
Joseph A. Tinsman
William Troutt
William E. Truxton
Walter Tucker
Frank H. Valentine
Gaetano Vincignerra
Harry C. Wagner
Martin R. Waldvogel
August F. Walter
Elizabeth H. Weimann
Philip C. Wendell
Earl C. Willett
Norman W. Wohlken
John Wojtkowiak
Thomas H. Wright
Ellwood K. Young
Townsend C. Young
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. IJ
RECORDS OF HEROIC DEAD
JUST one hundred and thirty-four men and one
woman from Camden county made the supreme
sacrifice in the Great War. Sixty-two were either killed
in action or died as the result of wounds received in
action, while disease claimed sixty-two lives in army
camps here or in France. Some few of the men died at
home from disease while on furloughs.
The army's losses were the heaviest in the war, one
hundred and seventeen dying in that branch of the ser-
vice from this county. The casualties of the other
branches of the service were as follows; Navy, seven;
Marine Corps, six; Red Cross nurse, one; British
army, two; Merchant Marine, one.
Fourteen died of wounds received in action. Six died
at sea, five losing their lives in action with enemy ships.
Six died from accidents, three of whom were aviators
and there was one accidental drowning in France. The
sole woman, who died in the service of the nation from
this county, was Elizabeth H. Wiemann, a Red Cross
nurse.
The records of each of Camden county's heroic dead
follow :
WILLIAM S. ABLETT, Private, of 603 South Third street,
Camden, was killed in action in the Argonne Forest on
October 27, 1918. Ablett enlisted in Company B, 104th Engi-
neers, when that company was organized in this city on April
27, 1917. He was sent to Camp Edge, Sea Girt, and later to
Camp McClellan, Anniston, Alabama. He was shot in the arms
and legs in the Argonne Forest battle. He was the son of Mr.
and Mrs. James Ablett, of 603 South Third street.
ALBERT J. ATGER, Private, of 154 North Twenty- fifth street,
Camden, was connected with Battalion A, 45th Artillery, and
was stationed at Camp Stanley, Texas. He died November 27,
l8 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
1918, at the Base Hospital. Fort Sam Houston, Texas, from
pneumonia. He enlisted May 31, 1918, in the cavalry and was
sent to Camp Stanley for training in Troop G, 305th Cavalry.
He was later transferred to the 45th Artillery. He was the son
of Mr. and Mrs. Gaston Atger, of 154 North Twenty-fifth street.
LAWRENCE S. ADAMS, Corporal, of 553 Bailey street, Cam-
den, was mortally wounded in action on October 25, 1918,
in the Argonne Forest battle. He was a member of Company
D, 309th Machine Gun Battalion, and on the morning of
October 25, his company was firing a barrage and the enemy
answered it with artillery fire. A shell struck two of the com-
pany's guns and Corporal Adams was so severely wounded that
he died that same day in a hospital. He was a member of the
Camden Police Department when called in the draft and sent
to Camp Dix for training. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. D
J. Adams, of 553 Bailey street.
JOHN ROBERT ADAMS, Private, of 644 Erie street, Camden,
died of pneumonia November 3, 1918, in a hospital in France.
He was a member of the 303d Trench Mortar Battery and was
drafted and sent to Camp Dix on April 25, 1918. His unit sailed
for overseas three weeks later. He was twenty-five years old
and was the son of Mr. and Mrs. William S. Adams, of 644
Erie street.
THOMAS J. ALLEN, JR., Private, of Lawnside, was drowned
in an accident in France after serving in three battles in
the war and escaping uninjured. His death occurred at Bay
City, France, April 25, 1919. He was called into service in
October, 1917, and sent to Camp Hill, Virginia, where he became
a member of Company I, 304th Stevedore Regiment. He sailed
for France in April, 1918, and was transferred to Company M,
301st Infantry, and later to Company M, 811th Infantry. His
parents reside at Lawnside.
JOHN BENJAMIN H. BAKER, Private, of 1004 Spruce street.
Camden, died in Base Hospital No. 35, in France, on Sep-
tember 17, 1918, from blood poison as the result of bullet wounls
received in action. He was drafted June 28, 1918, and sent to
Camp Dix. He sailed for France on August 26, 1918, and was
attached to the Medical Detachment of the 312th Field Signal
Battalion and was wounded carrying wounded from the field of
battle. He was 28 years old and the son of Mrs. Elizabeth
Keese, of 1004 Spruce street.
RECORDS OF HEROIC DEAD. 19
ARLINGTON BALTIMORE, Corporal, of 713 Cherry street,
Camden, died of Spanish influenza, at Camp Dix, on October
5, 1918. He was drafted September 26, 1918, and sent to that
cantonement as a member of Company C, 5th Battalion, 153d
Depot Brigade and was the son of Mrs. Henry Baltimore. His
death occurred nine days after being sent to camp.
DAVID BARNABY, Private, of 521 Hunter street, Gloucester
City, was fatally injured when he was kicked by a horse
over the right eye, near Hausen, Germany, on February 2, 1919.
He was a member of Battery F, 76th Field Artillery, in the
Army of Occupation, and was sent with a detail for horses to
Hausen. On the return Barnaby asked permission to fall out
to adjust his saddle. The detail had gone but one hundred yards
when Corporal Hayes saw him fall. When the detail reached
Barnaby they found him badly injured and he was taken to the
hospital at Mayen, Germany, where he died on February 5. He
was the son of Mrs. Rebecca Barnaby, of 521 Hunter street,
Gloucester City.
FREDERICK H. BAYNES, Sergeant, of 935 Monmouth street,
Gloucester City, was killed in action in the Meuse-Argonne
offensive on October 9, 1918. He enlisted in the old Third
Regiment, National Guard of New Jersey, and was sent with
the regiment to Camp Edge, Sea Girt, on July 25, 1917, and
later transferred to Camp McClellan, Anniston, Ala. He be-
came a member of Company G, when the regiment was changed
to the 114th Infantry. He was the son of Frederick H. and
Rebecca Baynes, of Gloucester City.
OTTO H. BEAN, of 445 Berkley street, Camden, was first
assistant engineer of the American steamer Tuscarora,
which was lost at sea after it had sailed from New York on
December 6, 1917, for Halifax. The Tuscarora is believed to
have been dashed to pieces on the rocky coast of Halifax. The
last heard of the vessel was when it passed Father Point on the
St. Lawrence river. The ship was in the service of the United
States Shipping Board. First Assistant Engineer Bean was
39 years old and was the husband of Mrs. Margaret Bean, of
445 Berkley street.
EDWIN BECKLEY, Private, of 314 Mechanic street, Camden,
died of pulmonary tuberculosis in France on November
30, 1918. He was drafted in November, 1917, and sent to Camp
Dix. He was the son of William S. and Lillie M. Beckley, of 314
Mechanic street.
20 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
CHARLES BEHREND, Gunner, of 809 Penn street, Camden,
was killed in the battle of St. Mihiel on September 26, 1918,
when a high explosive shell of the enemy burst near him.
Behrend was drafted and sent to Camp Dix, where he was
assigned to Company C, 309th Infantry. He sailed for France
in May, 1918, and spent his twenty-sixth birthday anniversary
in the trenches before St. Mihiel. This soldier was an orphan
and was the brother of Mrs. Lillian Walker, of 925 South Paxson
street, Philadelphia.
WALTER J. BEHRER, Private, of 3284 Westfield avenue,
Camden, was killed in action September II, 1918, while
bringing ammunition up to his battery. He was a member of
Battery D, 307th Field Artillery. One other comrade was
killed and four wounded together with Behrer when a German
shell burst over their battery. Behrer was 24 years old and was
drafted April 1, 1918, and sent to Camp Dix. His regiment
sailed for France in May. His parents are Mr. and Mrs. Joseph
Behrer, of 3284 Westfield avenue.
RALPH BENNER, Private, of 828 North Sixth street, Cam-
den, died of nervous and mental diseases at Base Hospital,
No. 214, Saveney, France, fifteen miles from St. Nazaire, on
April 26, 1919. He was a member of the medical detachment
of the 314th Infantry, of the 79th Division, and was in five bat-
tles during the war. Private Benner was drafted in September,
1917, and sent to Camp Dix. He sailed to France in February,
1918. He was the son of Clinton C. Benner, of 828 North Sixth
street.
CHESTER L. BENNETT, Private, of 34 Kresson avenue, Had-
donfield, was killed in action July 19, 1918, at Chateau
Thierry at the beginning of the allies' major offensive after
having participated in the battle of Cantigny. Machine gun
bullets through the abdomen caused his death. He was the son
of Mrs. Hattie E. Bennett and enlisted in the regular army
January 27, 1917, before America entered the Great War. He
was sent to Eagle Pass, Texas, being attached to the 30th Infan-
try. He was later transferred to the Machine Gun Company
of the 16th Infantry.
CARL F. BICKER, Private, of 1636 Broadway, Camden, en-
listed in the United States Marine Corps in the fall of 191/
while attending college at Winona Lake. He was in service a
year when stricken with the pneumonia at Camp Quantico, Va.
RECORDS OE HEROIC DEAD. 21
He died September 29, 1918. Private Bicker was the son of the
late Dr. Francis J. Bicker and was a nephew of Mrs. H. D.
Burroughs, of 1636 Broadway.
DAVID T. BORLAND, 30 years old, lived with his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. David Borland, at 2305 Howell street, Camden.
He was a member of Company C, 312th Infantry, and went to
Camp Dix on February 26, 1918, sailing overseas in May. He
was killed in action on October 24, 1918, during the great battle
in the Argonne.
BENJAMIN BORSTEIN, Corporal, of 1200 Everett street,
Camden, died at his home while on a furlough from Camp
Dix on September 30, 1918, from influenza. He was a member
of Company No. 41, T. R. B. 153d Depot Brigade. He was
drafted July 16, 1918, and was the son of Joseph and Celia
Borstein.
ALLEN H. BOSSERT, Sergeant, son of Mr. and Mrs. William
H. Bossert, of 113 Chestnut avenue, Woodlynne, entered
the service in August, 1917, and was assigned to Company K,
311th Infantry, at Camp Dix. He was later assigned to the 311th
Machine Gun Company, and was overseas from May. 1918, until
October 3, 1918, when he was killed by shrapnel. At the time
of his death he was about to be sent to school to study for a
lieutenancy. His body rests in France. Sergeant Bossert was
the only Woodlynne boy to make the supreme sacrifice.
HENRY J. BOWES, Lieutenant, of Wellwood avenue and
Volan street, Merchantville, lost his life when the Submarine
Chaser 209 was sunk off Fire Islands on August 27, 1918. He
was in command of twelve chasers when the armed merchant-
man Felix Paussip took the chasers for German submarines
and opened fire, sinking the 209. The fatal mistake was made
one hundred and fifty miles off Fire Islands, after three destroy-
ers had left the twelve chasers. Two other chasers were sunk
in the battle. Lieutenant Bowes enlisted in the Naval Reserves
before this country entered the war in April, 1917, and was a
junior grade officer. He was the husband of Mrs. Evelyn
Humphreys Bowes, of Merchantville.
GEORGE A. BOWERS, Private, of 420 Broadway, Camden,
died from influenza and pneumonia in France on January
24, 1919. He was a member of Company B, 104th Engineers,
and enlisted in Camden in April, 1917, and was sent to Sea Girt
22 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
with his company on July 25, 1917. He served with his com-
pany north of Verdun after being sent to France from Camp
McClellan, Anniston, Alabama. He was the son of Louis and
Emma Bowers, of 420 Broadway.
JOHN OTTO BOYSON, Private, of 629 Birch street, Camden,
died from peritonitis on October 5, 1918, at American Hos-
pital No. 1, France. He was a member of Company D, Casual
Department, Medical Unit, and was assigned to the hospital
where his death occured. The son of Mrs. Anna L. Boyson,
of 629 Birch street, he enlisted on May 14, 1917, and was sent
to Fort Slocum, New York, and assigned to Company B, 57th
Infantry. Later he was transferred to Company D, Casual
Department, Medical Unit, at Fort Jay, New York, and from
this camp he was sent overseas.
JACK BRODY, Private, of 101 Chestnut street, Camden, was
killed in action on September 27, 1918, in the Argonne
Forest and buried at Mount Blainville. He was the son of
Solomon Brody and enlisted in the Third Regiment, National
Guard of Pennsylvania, in July, 1917. He was assigned to a
camp in West Philadelphia and later was sent to Camp Han-
cock, Georgia, with the regiment which became the 110th Infan-
try. Brody was assigned to Company G and the regiment sailed
for France in May, 1918.
JOSEPH BRZNSZKIEWICZ, Private, of 1412 South Tenth
street, Camden, was killed in a railroad accident in France
on November 14, 1918. He was a member of Headquarters
Company, 7th Training Battalion, Field Artillery Replacement
Depot. He was drafted under the name of Joseph Briskle. He
was a brother of Mrs. Maggie M. Iwanoski, of 1412 South Tenth
street.
WILLIAM J. BURKE, Private, of 710 North Sixth street,
Camden, died from spinal meningitis following an attack
of Spanish influenza on October 23, 1918. at United States
Army Hospital, No. 3, Colonia, N. J. He was a member of
Company H,i6th Battalion, United States Guards. He was the
son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Burke, of 710 North Sixth street.
WALTER ERNEST BUTSCH, Bugler, of 620 North Fifth
street, Camden, died on November 6. 1918, from wounds
received in action. He was a member of Company K, 311th
Infantry. He was drafted September, 1917, and sent to Camp
RECORDS OF HEROIC DEAD. 2$
Dix. His unit left for France on May 20, 1918, and he was
wounded at Lancon, near Grand Pre, France, on October 30,
1918, in the Argonne Forest battle and was carried to a base
hospital in partially shell wrecked church at Vichy by Sergeant
Theodore Roller, a comrade, where he died seven days later.
Butsch was 24 years old and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest
Butsch, of 620 North Fifth street.
FRANK J. CARVER, Corporal, of 67 South Twenty-ninth
street, Camden, died of pneumonia at Hempstead, Long
Island, on October 21, 1918. He enlisted at the age of thirty-
one years in the Aviation Corps on December 1, 1917, and was
sent to Camp McArthur, Waco, Texas, where he was assigned
to the 340th Aero Squadron on December 20. He was trans-
ferred to Camp Greene, North Carolina, in March, 1918, and on
August 1 was transferred to Hempstead. He was the son of
Mrs. Eleanor Carver.
ROBERT H. CARR, Private, of 222 Amber street, Camden,
died from pneumonia in France on October 18, 1918. He
was drafted and sent to Camp Dix and was a member of Com-
pany E, 34/th Infantry. He was the husband of Mrs. Mary
Carr, of 222 Amber street.
HOWARD W. CASSADY, Sergeant, of 420 Webster street,
Camden, was stricken with Spanish influenza aboard the
United States ship Reina Mercedes. He was removed to the
United States Naval Hospital at Annapolis, Maryland, where
he died on.October 19, 1918. He was buried in Camden. Ser-
geant Cassady enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in
January, 1917, and was sent to Paris Island, South Carolina, for
training. He was later transferred to the Naval Academy at
Annapolis and then assigned to the Reina Mercedes. He was
the son of Joseph P. and Bella Cassady, of 2005 Arlington
street, and was 22 years of age.
LOUIS J. CERTAIN, Private, of 337 Spruce street, Camden,
was killed in action on October 12, 1918, in the Argonne-
Meuse battle. Enlisting in the old Third Regiment, National
Guard of New Jersey, in June, 1917, he went to Camp Edge,
Sea Girt, on July 25, with the regiment. He also accompanied
the regiment to Camp McClellan, Anniston, Ala., where it be-
came the 114th Infantry. Mrs. Rose Certain, of 725 North
Eleventh street, Philadelphia, was his mother.
24 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
ROBERT F. CHRISTY, Private, of 1183 Haddon avenue, Cam-
den, died of Spanish Influenza and pneumonia in France on
October 5, 1918. He enlisted on May 6, 1918, at the age of 43
years, and was sent to Fort Slocum, New York, on May 13. He
was assigned to Company K, 2d Infantry. One month later he
was transferred to Camp Humphreys, Va., and assigned to Com-
pany F, 116th Engineers, and sailed for France in August, 1917.
He was the husband of Mrs. Susan Christy, of 1183 Haddon
avenue, and the son of Mrs. Sarah Christy.
JOHN JOSEPH CLYNES, Sergeant, of 60 North Thirty-second
street, Camden, died at Base Hospital No. 8, Otisville, New
York, on June 24, IQIQ, from tuberculosis contracted while in
training at Camp Dix. Clynes was 25 years old and was drafted
on May 27, 1918, and sent to Camp Dix. He was assigned to
the 4th Company, 4th Battalion, 153d Depot Brigade, as a private
and later promoted corporal and then sergeant. Burial was
made in Camden on June 28. Sergeant Clynes was the son of
John and Mary Clynes, of 60 North Thirty-second street.
WILLIAM COONROD, Private, Camden, died at Camp Dix
October 5, 1918, from Spanish influenza. His nearest of kin
was given by the Government as Mrs. Edith Wentworth. The
investigating committee and the police were unable to locate his
relatives. No street address was given by the Government.
JOSEPH F. COVERT, Private, of 1146 Whitman avenue, Cam-
den, died from pneumonia in France on March 22, 1918. En-
listing in June, 1917, he was sent to Base Hospital No. 34, Allen-
town, Pa., for training in the ambulance service. He was sent
overseas in September, 1917. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Covert,
of 1 146 Whitman avenue, were his parents.
WILLIAM CRAIG, Private, of 1321 Broadway, Camden, died
April 11, 1919, at Camp Ottawan, Government Hospital,
North Carolina, from the effects of chlorine gas received under
heroic circumstances. He was a member of Battery D, 7th
Field Artillery, First Division, and participated in the battle of
Chateau-Thierry. Craig shot four Germans to death with his
pistol and in the fight two of his horses were shot and as the
animals stumbled, Craig grabbed their reins to save them and
in doing so accidentally knocked his gas masked loose. The
Germans had sent over a gas attack and he was badly affected.
He was in a number of hospitals in France and finally brought
RECORDS OF HEROIC DEAD. 25
back to this country suffering from tuberculosis, which caused
his death. He was a member of the old Third, New Jersey
National Guard, and went away with that regiment July 25,
1917, to Camp Edge, and then to Camp McClellan, Anniston,
Ala. He was transferred to the 7th Field Artillery in France.
Mrs. Hattie Fisher, of 1321 Broadway, was his foster mother,
he being an orphan.
JOHN CUNNINGHAM, Private, son of Mr. and Mrs. George
Cunningham, of 1748 Fillmore street, Camden, was a mem-
ber of the 303d Ammunition Train and was crushed to death be-
tween two motor trucks in France, on January 28, 1918. He was
buried with full military honors at Semur, France. He was the
husband of Mrs. Olive M. Cunningham.
JACOB F. CURRIE, Corporal, of 12 North Twenty-fifth street,
Camden, was killed in action in the Argonne Forest on
October 25, 1918. He was drafted on Good Friday, March, 1918,
and sent to Camp Dix, where he was assigned first to the 9th
Company, 153d Depot Brigade, on March 29. He was trans-
ferred to the 309th Machine Gun Company and was promoted
corporal in April. He served in the Chateau-Thierry, St. Mihiel
and Argonne battles. Corporal Currie was the son of Jacob
and Catherine Currie, of 12 North Twenty-fifth street.
CHARLES T. DANIELS, a mess boy of the American oil
tanker Atlantic Sun, was drowned at sea when a lifeboat
capsized in English waters after the tanker was sunk by a
submarine on March 18, 1918. The lifeboat was nearing the
shore when the high sea and surf upset the craft and Daniels
was drowned. His brother, George E. Daniels, a cook on the
same ship, was saved. Daniels was 23 years old and was the
husband of Mrs. Florence Daniels, of 507 North Sixth street,
Camden.
GEAN DAVIDSON, Private, of 613 Liberty street, Camden,
died in a local hospital in October, 1918, from Spanish in-
fluenza, contracted while on a leave of absence from Camp Dix.
Davidson was thirty years old and was drafted in June, 1918,
and sent to Camp Dix for training. No living relatives of him
can be found.
TASKER H. DAVIDSON, Private, of Oaklyn, was killed in
action at Grand Pre, France, in the Argonne Forest, on
October 27, 1918. Drafted in April, 1918, he left for France
the following month with Company F, 312th Infantry, after a
26 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
short training at Camp Dix. He was buried at a little place
called Senuc, France. Mrs. George R. Snyder, of Bettlewood
and Cold Springs avenues, Oaklyn, is his nearest of kin.
JOHN T. DEIGHAN, Private, of 839 Elm street, Camden, died
at his home from Spanish influenza and pneumonia on
October 12, 1918. He was drafted September 5, 1918, and sent
to Camp Humphreys, Va., where he was assigned to Company
F, 7th Engineers. He was the husband of Mrs. Catherine
Deighan and the son of Mrs. Ellen Deighan Parks. He was
buried in Camden with full military honors.
PHILIP DIAZ, Private, of Second avenue, Ashland, was killed
in action in the Argonne Forest on October 24, 1918. At
least that is the last date given by the War Department to his
parents. On two other occasions different dates were given for
his heroic demise. The son of Anna Rose Diaz, of Ashland,
he was drafted in May, 1918, and sent to Camp Dix for training
and assigned to Company C, 312 Infantry.
LEON A. DICKINSON, Sergeant, of 915 Newton avenue, Cam-
den, was first reported missing in the battle of Chateau-
Thierry on July 20, 1918. In May, 1919, the War Department
changed his status on the casualty list as having been killed in
action. He was the son of John Dickinson and he first enlisted
in the Navy in 1912 and served all of his enlistment on the bat-
tleship Vermont. His enlistment expired just as the Mexican
border trouble occurred and he enlisted in the regular army.
He was with General John J. Pershing's Punitive Expedition,
which penetrated Mexico. When America entered the Great
War, Sergeant Dickinson went overseas with the first 50,000 as a
member of Company G, 28th Infantry.
ALFRED W. DILKS, 23 years old, of 704 Federal street, Cam-
den, was a member of the 3d Regiment, National Guards of
New Jersey, part of which afterwards became Company K, of
the 114th Infantry. He went to Sea Girt with his old command
and later to Anniston, going to France in June, 1918. He was
killed in the Argonne on October 12, 1918.
EDWARD H. DORSEY, Corporal, of 760 Van Hook street,
Camden, died at Camp Dix in early October, 1918, from
Spanish influenza and pneumonia. Drafted in November, 1917,
he was sent to Camp Dix and assigned to Company E, 350tk
RECORDS OF HEROIC DEAD. 2J
Field Artillery. The funeral took place in Camden October 8,
1918. He was the son of Benjamin H. Dorsey, of 760 Van Hook
street.
OTTO DREHER was the son of Mrs. George Dangel, of 530
Elm street, Camden. He had lived here virtually all his
life, but went to Waterbury, Conn., where he enlisted and sailed
for France as a member of Bakery Company, No. 327, in January,
1918. He was stricken with pneumonia and died in the arms of
his brother William, also in the service, on October 1, 1918. He
was survived by a 6-year-old daughter.
ERNEST ECKERSLEY, Private, of 1005 Penn street, Camden,
was killed in action in April, 1918, while fighting with the
Lancashire Fusileers of the British Army. He was rejected
three times for enlistment in the American Army and finally
went to the Canadian Recruiting Mission in Philadelphia, where
he was accepted. He was 24 years old and the son of Mr. and
Mrs. David Eckersley, of 1005 Penn street.
RALPH B. ELDER, Corporal, of 30 North Twenty-sixth street,
Camden, died from wounds on November 27, 1917, received
in the Argonne Forest on October 12. He was a member of
Company E, 114th Infantry, and was one of three men who
rushed a German machine gun nest. One of his comrades was
shot to pieces, the other shot through the lungs and Elder was
shot through the eye, which wound caused his death. He was
also gassed in September. He was a member of the old 3d Regi-
ment, National Guards of New Jersey, before the war and went
away with the regiment July 25, 1917. Elder was 23 years old
and was the son of Mrs. Frances Elder, of 30 North Twenty-
sixth street.
HAMMITT KENNETH ELLIOTT, Lieutenant, of 306 Wash-
ington Terrace, Audubon, was killed at the United States
Aviation Field at Houston, Texas, on February 27, 1918, wnen
he lost control of the aeroplane he was driving 350 feet above
the ground. He was caught in a heavy gust of wind trying to
make a tail spin and failed to regain control of his machine.
J. H. Geisse, a cadet flying with him, escaped with slight in-
juries. Elliott enlisted in the Signal Reserve Corps Aviation
Service in October, 1917, and was sent to Princeton Flying
School on October 20, 1917. He was sent to Houston two weeks
28 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
later. The day before he was killed he was commissioned a
lieutenant at the age of 19 years. He was the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Hammitt K. Elliott, of 306 Washington Terrace, Audubon.
CHRISTOPHER EVANS, JR., Wagoner, of Twenty-ninth and
Saunders streets, Camden, died at Camp Sam Houston,
Texas, from hemorrhages on October 3, 1918. He was a member
of the Supply Company of 23d Artillery.
FRANK M. FALLS, Private, of 14 Park Place, Camden, died
of pneumonia on January 18, 1919, in France. He was
gassed on the day the armistice was signed, November 11, 1918.
He was a member of the Anti-Aircraft Corps, Company B, 1st
Machine Gun Battalion, to which he was transferred from
Company D, old 3d New Jersey National Guard. He was the
son of Mrs. Lena Falls, of 44 Newkirk Place, and was 24 years
old.
NICOLA FANELLO, Private, of 1107 South Fourth street,
Camden, was killed during a gas attack in the Argonne
Forest on September 27, 1918. He was the husband of Mrs.
Mary Fanello, and was drafted on April 26, 1918, and sent to
Camp Dix, where he became a member of Company H, 309th
Infantry.
WILLIAM F. FARRELL, Private, of 940 North Fifth street,
Camden, was killed in action September 30, 1918, at Mont-
faucon, France, in the Argonne Forest drive. He was a member
of Company H, 147th Infantry. Private Farrell was drafted
April 26. 1918, and sent to Camp Dix. After six weeks training
he was sent to Camp Lee, Virginia, and two weeks later sailed
for France. He was survived only by a sister, Mary Farrell,
940 North Fifth street.
HENRY PHILIP FAVEREAU, of 1307 Lansdowne avenue,
Camden, lost his life . with William Laskowski, of 1151
Haddon avenue, on December 6, 1917, when the United States
destroyer Jacob Jones was sunk by an enemy submarine in
foreign waters. He was thirty-three years of age and enlisted
in the United States Navy as an apprentice at the age of sixteen
years. He was the husband of Mrs. Bertha Favereau.
JACOB FELDMAN, Lieutenant, of 17 West Park avenue, Mer-
chantville, was killed under heroic circumstances. He was
attached to Company D, noth Infantry, formerly the 3d Regi-
ment, National Guard of Pennsylvania. He was mortally wound-
RECORDS OE HEROIC DEAD. 2Q.
ed on September 12, 1918, in the Marancourt sector, in the ad-
vance on Hill No. 212. All of the officers of the company were
casualties and Feldman assumed command and reformed the
unit and ordered the charge. As they dashed across the open
he was hit in the stomach by an explosive bullet and fell. He
struggled to his feet and beckoned his men on. He was
struck by two more bullets and fell. Handing his papers to
First Sergeant Harold M. Nash, he shouted, "Forward, men!"
He died in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. He was
buried at Reddy farm, near Cohan, the following day. Lieuten-
ant Feldman had been a member of the National Guard eleven
years and was thirty-one years old. His regiment went over-
seas in April, 1918, and he participated in the Cheateau-Thierry
battle. He was the son of Isaac Feldman, of Merchantville.
JAMES FORNEK, Private, of 1269 Atlantic avenue, Camden,
died from pneumonia on October 6, 1918. This young man
was drafted May 22, 1918, and sent to. Camp Crane, Allentown,
Pa., where he was assigned to Hospital No. 11. He was the son
of Mrs. Mary Fornek, of 1269 Atlantic avenue, and went over-
seas a member of the ambulance corps at the age of sixteen
years.
RAYMOND C. FRECH, Cook, of 625 Elm street, Camden, was
killed in action August 11, 1918, in France. He was a mem-
ber of Headquarters Company, 18th Field Artillery, 3d Division.
Freeh enlisted in the United States Navy at the age of fourteen
years. He served two enlistments and participated in the battle
of Vera Cruz, during the armed intervention in Mexico. He
was wounded twice in the attack on Vera Cruz. His enlistment
in the Navy expired in October, 1917, and he enlisted in the army
and was sent to Fort Slocum. From there he went to Fort
Bliss, Texas, and was wounded in a battle with Mexicans, who
made a raid on the border. He was sent to France in April,
1918. Freeh was an orphan and his next best friend was Ella
Hearing, 625 Elm street.
SILAS FURBUSH, Sergeant, Camden, was listed as having been
killed in action in France by the War Department. His
nearest of kin was given as Mrs. Elizabeth Furbush. He was a
member of the Quartermaster Corps. His relatives could not
be found by the investigating committee or the police, and the
War Department was unable to give a better address.
30 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE) GREAT WAR.
RICHARD GIEST, Private, of 835 York street Camden, died
at Camp Greene, Charlotte, North Carolina, on January II,
1918. He was a member of Battery F, 16th Field Artillery, and
was stricken with spinal menigitis and pneumonia on January
10 and died the following day. Giest enlisted in October, 1917,
and was sent to Fort Slocum and was transferred to Camp
Greene. He was 24 years old and the son of Mr. and Mrs.
John G. Giest.
STANISLAW GONTARSKI, Private, of 931 Mechanic street,
Camden, was killed in action on October 12, 1918, in the
Argonne offensive. He was first a member of Company K, 327th
Infantry, and was among the first draftees to go to Camp Dix
on September 20, 1917. Gontarski went overseas as a member
of Company L, 327th Infantry. A shot in the abdomen caused
his death in battle. He was the son of Jan Gontarski. of 931
Mechanic street.
FRED W. GRIGG, Corporal, was killed in the Argonne Forest
and Meuse drive in October, 1918. He was struck in the
stomach by a fragment of shrapnel. Grigg resided at Mer-
chantville with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred. Grigg. Grigg
was a member of Company E, 113th Infantry. He first saw
service with Battery B, 1st New Jersey Field Artillery, on the
border during the armed intervention with Mexico in 1916.
When the battery returned to Camden he was mustered out of
service. He was working in Trenton when America entered
the Great War and enlisted in the Second New Jersey National
Guard and was first placed on guard duty in this State. Later
he was sent to Camp McClellan. Anniston, Ala., and sailed for
France in June, 1918.
H. ROWLAND GROSS, Corporal, of Delair, was killed in action
on September 6, 1918, while crossing the Vesle river, in
France, north of the town of Magneaux, in the face of enemy
machine gun fire. He was a member of Company F, 109th
Infantry, enlisting on March 25, 1917. The first important task
of this regiment was to guard bridges until it was sent to Camp
Hancock, Georgia, for eight months training. The regiment
sailed for France in May, 1918. Gross was 22 years old and was
the son of Mrs. Florence Gross, of Velde avenue, Delair.
RECORDS OE HEROIC DEAD. 3I
HOWARD W. HAINES, of Laurel Springs, died at Great
Lakes Training Station Hospital, on September 24, 1918,
from disease. He enlisted in the United States Navy a few
months before and was a victim of pneumonia. He was the son
of Daniel Haines, of Laurel Springs.
WILLIAM S. HEY, Corporal, of No. 9 Haddon avenue, Cam-
den, was killed in action in October, 1918, in the Argonne
Forest battle. He was a member of Company G, 114th Infan-
try, and was a member of the 3d Regiment, New Jersey National
Guards before that regiment was sent to Camp Edge, Sea Girt,
and Camp McClellan, Anniston, Ala., and merged into the 114th
Infantry . He was 23 years old and was survived by a sister.
WILLIAM M. HICKMAN, Private, of 613 Market street, Glou-
cester City, was killed in action on September 29, 1918.
He was one of twelve volunteers who endeavored to capture
a German machine gun nest in the Argonne Forest. He was
shot in the hip and as he fell he was shot in the forehead and
instantly killed. He was the only one of the twelve to be slain.
Private Hickman was a member of Company B, 145 Infantry,
and was drafted April 29, 1918, and sent to Camp Lee Virginia,
for training. He arrived in France on June 22, 1918. This young
soldier was the son of William C. and Elizabeth Louise Hick-
man, of Gloucester City.
PERCY LINCOLN HOLLINSHED, of Delair, died of wounds
on June 7, 1918. He was a member of 17th Company, 5th
Regiment, United States Marine Corps, and enlisted April 14,
1917. He spent four months at Paris Island Training Camp and
one month at Quantico. He sailed from Philadelphia on the
transport Henderson on August 1, 1917, landing at St. Nazairre,
France. A short time was spent in training at St. Nazairre and
at Bordeaux. He was in the trenches at Verdun and took part
in skirmishes that led up to the battle of Belleau Wood, where
he was fatally wounded. He was 28 years old and the son of
Mrs. Mary Hollinshed, of Delair. ■
WILLIAM HOYLE, Private, of in Seventh avenue, Haddon
Heights, died from pneumonia near Paris, on October 11,
1918. He was a student at the University of Pennsylvania,
and began service with University Unit No. 4, in May, 1917.
He was sent to Allentown, Pa., for training and sailed for
32 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
France on August 21, 1917. Hoyle was 23 years of age and the
son of Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Hoyle, of m Seventh avenue,
Haddon Heights.
ELMER HUNT, Private, of 819 Fern street, Camden, died from
Spanish influenza on October 5, 1918, at Camp Dix. He
was drafted on May 27, 1918, and sent to Camp Dix, where
he was assigned to the 23d Company, Military Police. He was
the son of I. Hunt.
JOHN T. HYLAND, Lieutenant, of 820 Haddon, Camden,
died from disease at Tours, France, in June, 1918. He was
attached in an official capacity to the American Expeditionary
Force's Post Office. Lieutenant Hyland acted as postmaster
of Havana, Cuba, during the American occupation of the island
during the Spanish American War. He was attached to the
Camden post office when called in the great war and was a mem-
ber of the Camden County Bar. He was fifty years of age, and
was summoned into the army service on March 21, 1918, and
sailed for France April 15, reaching there on May 1. He was
first sent to the headquarters of General John J. Pershing, at
Chaumont. Two weeks later he was sent to Tours, where he
was stricken. He was the husband of Mrs. Emma E. Hyland,
of 820 Haddon avenue.
HOWARD JORDAN, Private, of 1134 Clover street, Camden,
was drafted in May, 1918, and sent to Camp Dix. Pneumonia
caused his death on December 4, 1918. He was the son of Jerry
and Kate Jordan.
EMERSON J. KANE, Private, of 1807 Kossuth street, Camden,
died of wounds in the Argonne Forest at the beginning of
that major offensive in September, 1918. Kane was drafted on
January 3, 1918, and sent to Camp Meade, Maryland, for train-
ing in the 1st Company, Training Battalion, 154th Depot Brigade.
He was the son of Lewis Kane, of 1807 Kossuth street.
CLARENCE E. KANTZ, Sergeant, of 420 South Second street,
Camden, was killed in action in the Argonne Forest near
Grand Pre, France, on October 26, 1918. He was cited for
bravery and awarded a Distinguished Service Cross by General
John J. Pershing, commander-in-chief. Kantz was drafted and
sent to Camp Dix on September 8, 1917, and went to France on
April 13, 1918, as a member of Company E, 311th Infantry.
His mother was Mrs. Minnie Kantz, of 420 South Second street.
RECORDS OF HEROIC DEAD. 33
ENOS S. KIMBLE, Private, of 625 Birch street, Camden, died
on June 18, 1918, from meningitis at Camp Dix. He was
drafted May 27 and was ill the day he left for camp. He grew
rapidly worse and died in the base hospital before he was ever
assigned to a regiment. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Walter Kimble, and was 22 years old.
HERMAN JOHN KING, of 208 North Thirty-seventh street,
Camden, lost his life on the United States collier Cyclops,
which was sunk on June 14, 1918. He was the son of Arno B.
King and enlisted in the United States Navy at Indianapolis,
Indiana, on March 4, 1917, and became a first class fireman.
King was 24 years old.
WALTER J. KIRK, Private, of 1838 Fillmore street, Camden,
was killed in action in France on July 29, 1918. He was
a member of Company M, 110th Infantry, at the time of his
death, and enlisted in Company M, 3d Regiment, National
Guard of Pennsylvania, on March 28, 1917. He was sent with
his company to guard tunnels when war was declared between
the United States and Germany. Later he was sent to Camp
Hancock, Georgia, for training and sailed for France on May
1, 1918. He was 18 years old and had won a sharpshooter's
medal. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Kirk, of 1838
Fillmore street.
WILLIAM S. LASKOWSKI, Fireman, of 1151 Haddon ave-
nue, Camden, lost his life when the United States destroyer
Jacob Jones was sunk by an enemy submarine on December 6,
1917, in European waters together with Henry Philip Favereau,
of 1307 Lansdowne avenue. Laskowski enlisted under the name
of William S. Laskon, and had followed the sea for ten years
before his tragic end. When the destroyer sprung a leak in
the Delaware Bay during his enlistment he went down in the
hold and made the repairs at the risk of his life. He was
wounded in the arm and leg when Mexicans fired on his ship
during the Mexican armed intervention. He was 27 years old
and the son of William S. Laskowski, of 1151 Haddon avenue.
LEON ATKINSON LIPPINCOTT, Private, of 611 Bailey
street, Camden, was killed in action on October 5, 1918, in
France. He was a member of Company H, 18th Infantry, and
was rejected by the regular army recruiting officers in Camden
34 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
because of his eyesight. He was drafted in September, 1917, and
sent to Camp Dix. His unit sailed for France in January, 1918.
He was wounded in the leg on July 18, but recovered and was
killed in the major offensive in the Argonne Forest on October
5. Private Lippincott was the son of Mr. and Mrs. George S.
Lippincott and was 23 years old.
EDGAR BURTON LLOYD, Lieutenant, of Haddonfield, was
killed in an aeroplane accident at Gerstner Field, Lake
Charles, Louisiana, on January 17, 1918. He enlisted in the
United States Marine Corps on April 12, 1917, in Philadelphia,
and was sent to Lake Charles, where he became a member of
Reconnoissance Company, United States Marine Corps, 1st
Aviation Squadron. He was the son of Mrs. George Millpaugh,
Tracy Apartments, Philadelphia, and made his home with his
grandfather, Samuel C. Paris, Haddonfield. He was 21 years
old.
EDWARD M. McGOWAN, Private, of 47 Marlton avenue,
Camden, died from pneumonia at Camp Hancock, Augusta,
Georgia, January 15, 1919. He was the husband of Mrs. Emily
E. McGowan, of 47 Marlton avenue, and was a member of the
9th Company, 3d Division Barracks. He was buried in Camden.
JAMES ANTHONY McGUCKIN, Private, of 1037 Haddon ave-
nue, Camden, died in action in France on October 4, 1918.
He was a member of the 49th Company, 5th Regiment, United
States Marine Corps. Private McGuckin was wounded on June
6, 1918, in battle but recovered to be killed in the later action.
He was 32 years old and was the son of Mrs. Mary A. McGuckin,
of 1037 Haddon avenue. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in
1915 and served in the Philippines, Panama Canal and on the
Mexican border.
HERSEY MANDER, Private, of 707 Baxter street, Camden.
died at Camp Dix from heart disease on December 26, 1918.
Mander was drafted April 26, 1918, and sent to Camp Dix,
where he was assigned to Battery D, 349th Field Artillery. He
was the son of Mrs. Mary Mitchell.
ANTHONY MARTIN, Private, of 1027 Pine street, Camden.
died of wounds on October II, 1918, in the Argonne Forest
battle. Private Martin was drafted September 21, 1917, and
sent to Camp Dix. He was in Battery B, 319th Field Artillery,
RECORDS OF HEROIC DEAD. 35
82d Division, and was sent to Camp Gordon, Georgia, on
NoYcmber 13, 1917. In April, 1918, he was transferred to Camp
Mills, Long Island, to sail for France. Martin was 28 years old
and was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Martin, of 1027 Pine
street.
CHARLES ALBERT MATHEWS, Corporal, 24 years old, of
24 North Thirty-fourth street, Camden, died in France on
October 14, 1918, from wounds received in the Argonne Forest
battle. He was a member of Company G, 114th Infantry, and
was a gas instructor for his company. Mathews enlisted in the
3d New Jersey National Guard and was sent with the regiment
to Camp Edge, Sea Girt, on July 25, 1917, and to Camp Mc-
Clellan, Anniston, Ala., in September, 1917, where the 3d Regi-
ment became the 114th Infantry. He was the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Charles E. A. Mathews, of 24 North Thirty-fourth street.
EDWIN M. MATTHEWS, Wagoner, of 334 Warren avenue,
Camden, was drafted May 21, 1918, and sent to Camp Dix,
where he was assigned to the 14th Company, 153d Depot
Brigade. On May 27 he was attached to the 407th Engineers
as wagoner. He died at Camp Dix on October 1, 1918, from
Spanish influenza and was buried in Camden. He was the son
of Clarence and Catherine D. Matthews, of 334 Warren avenue.
EDWARD M. MAY, Private, of 428 Pearl street, Camden,
came home on a furlough to spend the Christmas holidays
in 1918 and contracted scarlet fever, dying on December 29.
He was the son of Mrs. Elizabeth Woltjin, and enlisted on
June IS, 1918, at the age of 18 years. He was sent to Fort
Slocum, New York, and became a member of the Insurance
Department, Quartermaster's Corps. He was transferred to
Debarkation Hospital Medical Corps, No. 1, Ellis Island.
ROBERT E. MEGGETT, Private, of 423 Trenton avenue, Cam-
den, died at Camp Humphreys, Va., from Spanish influenza
on October 16, 1918. He enlisted on August 8 and on August
16, 1918, was sent to Fort Slocum, the last enlisted man to
leave Camden. After that date all voluntary enlistments were
cancelled by the government and all men were drafted. He was
transferred to Camp Humphreys in October and contracted a
severe cold enroute, which resulted in influenza developing.
Meggett was a member of Company M, 5th Engineer Training
Regiment, and was the son of William J. and Mamie D.
Meggett, of 423 Trenton avenue. He was nineteen years old.
36 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
JOHN H. MEISLE, Corporal, of 51 Perm street, Camden, died
from wounds on July 24, 1918. He was wounded north of
Belfort, Alsace, France, by an enemy shell. He was a member
of Company E, 114th Infantry, and was not in battle when
wounded. He enlisted in the 3d New Jersey National Guards
and was sent with the regiment to Camp Edge, Sea Girt, on July
25, 1917, and was transferred in September to Camp McClellan,
Anniston, Ala.
ALLAN IRVING MORGAN, Corporal, of Lowell Lane, West-
mont, died on a transport enroute to France from disease
on March 22, 1918, and was buried at Brest, France. He was a
member of Troop G, 15th Cavalry, and enlisted December 22,
1915, in Philadelphia. He served on the Mexican border in 1916
and spent 18 months in the Philippines. He was 28 years old
and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Morris Morgan, Westmont.
ANGELO MUCCI, Private, of 220 Pine street, Camden, son
of Domenico Mucci, was killed in action on October 12,
1918, in the Argonne Forest. He was a member of Company
I, 314th Infantry, and was drafted on August 15, 1917, and sent
to Camp Meade, Maryland, for training.
JAMES L. MURRAY, Private, of Audubon, died of pneumonia
at Red Cross Military Hospital, No. 3, Paris, on October
20, 1918, from pneumonia. He enlisted on May 30, 1917, and
was sent to camp at Allentown, Pa., for training in the United
States Army Ambulance Corps. He was an ambulance driver
during the battle of Belleau Wood and the bombardment of
Paris. He arrived in France December 23, 1917. He was the
son of Mrs. Annie E. Murray, of Audubon.
WALTER MURRAY, First Lieutenant, of Park and Sylvan
avenues, Oaklyn, was killed in an aeroplane accident at
Hooten Park, Cheshire, England, on May 27, 1918, when the
wings of his machine collapsed while making a vertical dive.
Lieutenant Murray was 20 years old and the son of Lieutenant
J. W. Murray, U. S. N. Lieutenant Walter Murray enlisted in
the 2d Pennsylvania Field Artillery during the Mexican border
trouble in 1916 and was ordered to the border. He served in
the cavalry and as a machine gunner also while on the border
and finally passed examinations to enter West Point but was
rejected because of his eye sight. When America entered the
world war he tried to enlist in the United States Aerial Service
RECORDS OF HEROIC DEAD. 37
but was rejected because of his sight. He finally enlisted in the
Royal British Flying Corps and trained in Canada and Texas,
and went to England for final training, where he was killed.
JAMES MURTHA, Private, of 322 Point street, Camden, was
killed in action on October 7, 1918, in the Argonne Forest
battle. He was a member of Company L, 337th Infantry, and
was first reported as missing in action. Murtha was the son of
Mrs. Emma Murtha, of 322 Point street.
NORMAN NICHOLSON, Private, of 45 West End avenue,
Haddonfield, died from pleural pneumonia at Camp Dix on
October 4, 1918. He was called to the colors on May 27, 1918,
at the age of twenty-nine years and was attached to the 153d
Depot Brigade. Owing to his impaired health he was assigned
to the camp post office as a clerk, and when the Spanish influ-
enza epidemic broke out he was stricken and pneumonia quickly
developed. He was the son of Mrs. Anna E. Nicholson, of
Haddonfield.
JOHN ALBERT OVERLAND, a drummer boy, of the' 15th
Company, 6th Machine Gun Battalion, United States Marine
Corps, was killed in action in Belleau Woods, France, June 15,
1918. He was the son of Albert G. Overland, of 517 Borton
street, Camden, and enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of
fifteen years as a bugler on July 21, 1914. He was among the
first troops to land in France. At the time of his death he was
rated a drummer boy.
NOAH J. PALMER, Private, of 701 Baxter street. Camden, died
in France on December 5, 1918, from pneumonia. He was
drafted April 25, 1918, and sent to Camp Dix to become a
member of Battery D, 349th Field Artillery. He was the hus-
band of Mrs. Clara Palmer and son of Mrs. Mary Anderson.
LEON P. PARKER, Private, of 139 North Twenty-sixth street,
Camden died at Camp McClellan, Anniston, Ala., on October
13, 1918, from plural pneumonia. He enlisted in Company B,
Camden Engineers, in April, 1917, and left with the company
for Sea Girt on July 25, 1917. In August he was transferred
to Camp McClellan, where the company became part of the
104th Engineers. He was injured at the camp and an operation
prevented him from going to France when the regiment sailed
38 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
in June. 1918. After recovering from the operation he was de-
tained at the camp in a clerical capacity and succumbed during
the Spanish influenza epidemic. He was the son of Henry and
Annie Parker, of Parkertown, N. J., and made his home with his
sister, Mrs. Alice P. Farrell, of 139 North Twenty-sixth street.
Parker was twenty-two years old at the time of his death.
BERT PENNINGTON, Private, of 900 Penn street, Camden,
died of pneumonia in France on October 7, 1918. Penning-
ton enlisted on June 3, 1918, and was sent to Camp Humphreys,
Va., where he became a member of Company M, 2d Engineers.
From there he was sent overseas, where he died. He was the
husband of Mrs. Laura Pennington and the son of Mrs. Mary
Ann Pennington, of 952 South Ninth street.
OLIVER R. PURNELL, Private, of 917 North Thirty-second
street, Camden, died from odemia of lungs, brought about
as the result of mustard gassing by the enemy in the Chateau-
Thierry. His death occurred on July 5, 1918. He enlisted on
April 3, 1917, and was sent to Fort Slocum, New York, where he
was assigned to Company I, 30th Infantry. He was transferred
to Company I, 38th Infantry, then the Machine Gun Company of
the 23d Infantry, and later to Company D, 5th Machine Gun
Battalion. He was the son of Oliver and Emily Purnell, of 917
North Thirty-second street.
JOHN HOWARD READ, Regimental Sergeant Major, of 2926
Westfield avenue, Camden, died of pneumonia in France
on February 17, 1919. He was the son of Rev. John R. Read,
then pastor of Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church, Camden.
Sergeant Major Read was drafted on February 27, 1918, and
sent to Camp Dix. He was a stenographer and was immedi-
ately attached to headquarters of the 78th Division. He was
promoted Battalion Sergeant Major in June, 1918, just as the
division was sailing for overseas. He was promoted Regimental
Sergeant Major in France.
CORNELIOUS REDD, Private, of 1814 Mulford street, Cam-
den, died from Spanish influenza at Camp Dix on October
7, 1918, after two weeks service in the army. He was drafted
on September 26, 1918, and sent to the cantonement, where he
was assigned to Company 5, Section S, Colored Detention
Barracks. He was buried in Camden county. Private Redd
was twenty-one years old and the son of Mrs. Clara Redd, of
1046 Ferry avenue.
RECORDS OF HEROIC DEAD. 39
SAMUEL J. REICHARD, Private, of 1138 Louis street, Cam-
den, was killed on October 12, 1918, during the initial attack
on Bois de'Ormont, north of Verdun, France. He was attempt-
ing to capture a German machine gun position when he was
missed. He was reported missing first by the Government. It
was first believed he had been taken prisoner, but it later de-
veloped that he had been killed. Reichard was a member ot
Company G, 114th Infantry, and left Camden with the 3d Regi-
ment New Jersey National Guard, on July 25, 1917. He was
the son of Jacob Reichard, of 1138 Louis street.
RICHARD L. REIGHN, Private, resided at 15 East Atlantic
avenue, Haddon Heights, when he enlisted in the old 3d
Regiment, New Jersey National Guard, in 1916. He went to Sea
Girt with the regiment on July 25, 1917, and also to Camp
McClellan, Anniston, Alabama, when the New Jersey Guards-
men were sent there. When the Twenty-ninth Division was
formed he became a member of Company F, 114th Infantry, and
went overseas with that unit. Reighn was killed in action on
October 12, 1918, in the Argonne Forest. At first he was re-
ported missing, but the Government later confirmed his death.
He was the son of William and Marie Reighn, of 428 Evans
street, Camden.
JAMES E. REYNOLDS, Sergeant, of 458 Liberty street, Cam-
den, died from disease contracted on a return trip to this city
in quest of a deserter. He located the deserter at Riverton, but
was stricken with pneumonia and died at Cooper Hospital on
April 10, 1918. He was a member of Company G, 114th Infan-
try, and was a member of the 3d New Jersey National Guard
ten years before the regiment went to Camp McClellan, Annis-
ton, Ala. He came from Anniston to Riverton to capture the
deserter. He was the husband of Mrs. Fannie Reynolds, of 458
Liberty street.
HARRY ROLES, of no Lawnside avenue, Collingswood, died
at Great Lakes Naval Station on October 3, 1918, from spinal
meningitis, following an attack of Spanish influenza and
pneumonia. He was the husband of Mrs. Eva Roles, of Atlantic
avenue, Collingswood, and the son of William M. Roles, of
Knight avenue, the same borough. At the age of thirty years
he enlisted in the Naval Aviation Corps on June 27, 1918, but
was not called to service until September 9. He was dead in
less than a month after entering the service.
40 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
DAVID H. ROSS, Private, of 844 Spruce street, Camden, died at
Camp Meade, Maryland, September 28, 1918, from pneu-
monia. He was the son of Horace and Sarah Ross and the hus-
band of Mrs. Thelma Porter Ross. He was drafted August 28,
1918, and sent to Camp Meade, where he was assigned to the
12th Company, 154th Depot Brigade. Later he was transferred
to Company D, 32d Machine Gun Battalion.
BENJAMIN J. SANDLOW, Private, of 1238 Mechanic street,
Camden, was killed in action on July 18, 1918, at the begin-
ning of the Allies major offensive. He enlisted right atfer the
United States entered the Great War and was sent to Fort
Slocum. He was assigned to Company F, 9th infantry. Sandlow
was reported missing on July 18 and a year later the Government
officially declared him dead. He was the son of Mrs. Mary
Sandlow, of 1238 Mechanic street.
ALBERT T. SCHLEICHER, JR., lived on Jackson avenue,
North Merchantville. He entered the service in August,
1918, in the ground aviation service. He spent two months at
Camp Humphreys, and died there of Spanish influenza on
October 9, 1918.
WILLIAM SCHUCKER, Private, of 935 Pearl street, Camden,
was killed in action in France on October 16, 1918. Schucker
was a member of the Machine Gun Company of the 309th Infan-
try when he was killed in the Argonne Forest. He was drafted in
February, 1918, and sent to Camp Dix, prior to which time he
was a member of the Camden City Fire Department. He was
the son of Mrs. Mary Schucker.
JOHN J. SHELDON, Private, of Gloucester City, died at
Syracuse Recruit Camp, Syracuse, New York, on October
13, 1918, from pneumonia. The young man was drafted July
29, 1918, and sent to Syracuse, where he was assigned to Battery
A, 126th Field Artillery. He was the son of Louis and Mary
Sheldon, and resided at 100 North Broadway, Gloucester
City.
KENNETH L. STECK, Private, of 214 North Fifth street,
Camden, died from pneumonia in April. 1918, at Camp Mc-
Clellan, Anniston, Ala. He enlisted in the Camden Engineers
and became a member of Company B, 104th Engineers, when
his outfit reached Anniston for training. Private Steck was 24
years old and was the son of Rev. A. R. Steck, of Carlisle, Pa.
RECORDS OE HEROIC DEAD. 41
HARRY A. STEEPLE, Private, of 826 South Fifth street, Cam-
den, was killed in a heroic manner at Vaux, France, July
2, 1918. He was a member of Company E, 9th Infantry, and he
gave his life while participating in the capture of 500 Germans.
His body was buried at Monnaux, France. He was a dispatch
bearer or runner and was taking a dispatch for his command-
ing officer while his company was forcing the enemy to retreat
when he was killed. Private Steeple enlisted in the Navy when
America entered the war. He marched away with the Second
Battalion, New Jersey Naval Militia, to League Island, on Easter
Day, 1917, but was rejected. On July 20, 1917, he enlisted in
the army, and was sent to Fort Slocum. He sailed for France
on September 7, 1917. The young soldier was the only son of
Mr. and Mrs. John Steeple, of 826 South Fifth street.
EDWARD J. STIEGERWALD, Private, of 605 South Third
street, Camden, was drafted April 17, 1918, and sent to
Camp Dix, where he was assigned to Battery A. 307th Field
Artillery. He was badly wounded in the Argonne Forest battle
on October 21, 1918, and died two days later. He was the son
of Edward Stiegerwald, of 605 South Third street.
FRED D. STIMPSON, Private, of 325 Walnut avenue, Audu-
bon, died from pneumonia on October 12, 1918, shortly after
he arrived in France. He was a member of Battery F, 73d Rail-
way Artillery Regiment. He enlisted in the Coast Artillery on
May 15, 1918, at the age of 21 years, and was sent to Fort
Slocum, New York. He was transferred to Fort Adams, Rhode
Island, and sailed for France in September and arrived on the
last day of the month. He died thirteen days after reaching
France. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. William P. Stimpson.
EBEN STOUT, Private, of 1140 South Tenth street, Camden,
was killed in action on September 26, 1918, in the Argonne
Forest battle. Stout entered the service November 28, 1917, and
was sent to Camp Merritt as a member of Company M, 15th
New York Infantry. This became Company M, of 369th Infan-
try, and sailed for France in January, 1918. He was the son of
George and Isabella Stout.
WILLIAM P. TATEM, Private, of 885 Haddon avenue, Col-
lingswood, died at Camp Devons, Massachusetts, from pneu-
monia on March 30, 1918. At the age of twenty-five years he
enlisted on March 1, 1918, and on the eighteenth of the month
42 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
he was sent to Fort Slocum. From there he was transferred
to Camp Devens in a few days and assigned to Company B,
33d Engineers. His death occurred within a month from the
day he enlisted. He was the son of Henry R. Tatem, of
Collingswood.
GEORGE E. TREBING, Private, of 508 North Fifth street,
Camden, died of wounds on October 19, 1918, in a church
partially wrecked by the enemy at Grand Pre, which was being
used as a hospital. He was charging with his squad in Com-
pany D, 309th Infantry, when he was shot in the side by German
machine gunners and fell. A comrade carried him back to the
old church, where he died. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Carl E. Trebing, and was 29 years old when drafted on February
25, 1918, and sent to Camp Dix for training.
RAYMOND C. THOIRS, Corporal, of 524 Market street, Cam-
den, died of wounds on October 5, 1918. He was a member
of Companj r B, 104th Engineers, and his regiment had just left
Malincourt and was on its way to the Argonne Forest when he
was wounded on September 25, 1918. Corporal Thoirs enlisted in
the Camden Engineers and was sent to Camp McClellan,
Anniston, Ala., for training. The regiment sailed for France on
June 20, 1918. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. James M.
Thoirs, and was twenty-two years of age.
ALBERT CHARLES THOMPSON, Private, of 425 Market
street, Camden, was killed in action on October 19, 1918, at
Boisi Loge, between Grand Pre and St. Juvin, France. He was
a member of Company D, 309th Infantry, and joined the 2d
New Jersey Field Artillery, which was recruited soon after
this country entered the world war. He secured his discharge
from the artillery so that he could be drafted. He was called
on February 25, iqi8, and sent to Camp Dix. His regiment left
the cantonement for France on May 29, 1918. Thompson was
twenty-four years old and the son of Sergeant Charles F.
Thompson, of Company A, Camden Battalion, State Militia
Reserve.
JOSEPH A. TINSMAN, First Lieutenant, husband of Katherine
Ormsby Tinsman, 410 North Centre street, Merchantville,
was commissioned at Harrisburg, Pa., where he was an assistant
engineer for the State Department of Health. He was called
to service on November 17, 1917, entering the Sanitary Corps,
RECORDS OE HEROIC DEAD. 43
26th Engineers, Company E, and was sent to Camp Dodge,
Iowa. He stayed there for six months and then went to Camp
Wheeler, Georgia, for one month. On August 17, 1918, he
sailed from New York for Liverpool. Soon after landing he
was sent to Le Havre, France, where he began active service im-
mediately. He was in the battle at Argonne Forest. While rush-
ing one of his motor water purification tanks to the front
lines, over a shell swept road between St. Pierre and Sommath,
he received his mortal wound in October.
WILLIAM TROUTT, Private, of 321 Oakland avenue, Audu-
bon, was killed in action on October 18, 1918, in the Argonne
Forest. He went to France as a member of Company D, 312th
Infantry, arriving there on June 6, 1918. Troutt was drafted
February 28, 1918, and sent to Camp Dix for training. His
parents are deceased, and his oldest sister is Mrs. Frank Kelly,
of 220 Merchant street, Audubon.
WILLIAM E. TRUXTON, Private, 121 North Twenty-first
street, Camden, died at the Camden County Tuberculosis
Sanitorium at Ancora from pneumonia and tuberculosis on Feb-
ruary 7, 1918. He was a member of Company K, 311th Infantry,
and was drafted on September 20, 1917, and sent to Camp Dix.
He had been ill a year and when subjected to army life, he
quickly wasted and became so ill on a visit home that he was
unable to return to camp. He was removed to the county hos-
pital, where he died. Private Truxton was twenty-one years old
and was the son of George E. and Rose B. Truxton, of 454 East
Main street, Moorestown.
WALTER TUCKER, Private, of Haddonfield, was killed in
action September 20, 1918, near Belfort, France, in the Alsace
sector. He was a member of Company G, 114th Infantry, and
left Camden with the 3d Regiment, New Jersey National Guard,
on July 25, 1917, for Camp Edge, and later was sent with his
regiment to Camp McClellan, Anniston, Ala., for several
months training before going overseas.
FRANK H. VALENTINE, Private, of nil Penn street, Cam-
den, was killed in action in the Argonne Forest on Novem-
ber 6, 1918. Drafted on May 13, the same year, he was sent
to Camp Hancock, Georgia, and became a member of Company
II, Machine Gun Training Center. When transferred for over-
seas duty he was attached to the Machine Gun Company of the
i02d Infantry. He was the son of Mrs. Clara Sophia Valentine.
44 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
GAETANO VINCIGNERRA, Private, of 912 Locust street,
Camden, was killed in action in the Argonne Forest on
October 4, 1918. The son of Alfred Vincignerra, he was drafted
on February 25, 1918, and sent to Camp Dix for training. He
became a member of Company D, 309th Infantry, and sailed
to France wfth that regiment in May, 1918.
HARRY C. WAGNER, Private, of 641 Pine street, Camden,
was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Wagner. He enlisted
June 2, 1917, as a member of Battery B, 79th Field Artillery,
first going to Camp Slocum, then to Camps Riley, Merritt and
Fort Sam Houston. He sailed for overseas September 18, 1918,
and died at Pont du Lac, France, March 27, 1919, from
pneumonia.
MARTIN R. WALDVOGEL, Private, of Atco, was stricken on
November 14, 1918, and died two days later from pneumonia.
He served in Headquarters Company, 312th Infantry, 78th
Division, in all the important battles that division was in. He
was drafted February 25, 1918. and sent to Camp Dix for train-
ing. He sailed for overseas with his regiment in the following
May. The young soldier was the son of Martin and Daisy
Waldvogel, of Atco.
AUGUST F. WALTER, Private, was 30 years old, and resided
at 1033 South Fifth street, Camden, where he left his
widowed mother, Mrs. Emma Walter, when he departed as a
selectman on May 27, 1918, going to Camp Dix. He left for
France August 24 as a member of Company C, 312 Engineers.
He contracted pneumonia and died in France on October 22,
1918.
ELIZABETH H. WEIMANN was a nurse at Cooper Hospital
until she enlisted with the American Red Cross and went
abroad. She did splendid work, especially in connection with
the outbreak of the Spanish influenza. Miss Weimann con-
tracted this malady and died on November 6, 1918. Her mother
is Mrs. Bertha Helen Weimann, of 217 Ninth avenue, Haddon
Heights. She was the only woman in the service from Camden
county to give her life in the Great War.
PHILIP C. WENDELL, Private, of 320 Point street, Camden,
was drafted August 28, 1918, and went to Camp Meade as
a member of the 12th Company, 3d Training Battalion, 154th
Depot Brigade. He died from pneumonia at Camp Meade in
November, 1918.
RECORDS OF HEROIC DEAD. 45
EARL C. WILLETT, Private, of 571 Mickle street, Camden,
died on October 16, 1918, in Cooper Hospital from Spanish
influenza. He was a member of Battery E, 7th Field Artillery,
and was gassed so badly in the battle of Toul, France, on March
26, 1918, that he was sent back to this country to recuperate.
He suffered from a throat and lung affection as the result of
the gas attack and was being treated at the Government Army
Hospital at Otisville, New York. While home on a furlough
during the influenza epidemic he contracted the disease and
died. He was 21 years of age and was the son of Mrs. Matilda
Willett. He enlisted May 8, 1917, and was sent to Fort Slocum,
New York. He was transferred to Fort Sam Houston, Texas,
from which camp he went overseas.
NORMAN W. WOHLKEN, Private, of 2006 Cooper street,
Camden, died of wounds in the Argonne Forest battle on
October 26, 1918. He was wounded in the back and succumbed
from the loss of blood. Wohlken was drafted February 25,
1918, and sent to Camp Dix, where he was assigned to Company
C, 309th Infantry, 78th Division, with which regiment he sailed
for France in May, 1918. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs.
William H. Wohlken, of 2005 Cooper street.
JOHN WOJTKOWIAK, Private, of 1212 Chestnut street, Cam-
den, was killed in action on November 1, 1918, near St.
George's, in the Meuse, by shell fire. Death came instantly to
this young man, who was a student for holy orders. He was
drafted July 9, 1918, and sent to Camp Humphreys, Va. He was
a member of Company D, 4th Engineers. He was the son of
Mr. and Mrs. John L. Wojtkowiak, of 1212 Chestnut street.
THOMAS H. WRIGHT, Private, was 22 years old and the son
of Mrs. Margaret Wright, of 34 York street, Camden. He
was one of the selectmen, entering the service September 9,
1918, as a member of Company L, E. T. R. He went to Camp
Humphreys, where he remained four weeks and two days, when
he died from pneumonia on October n, 1918.
ELLWOOD K. YOUNG, Private, of 21 West Stiles avenue,
Collingswood, died from pneumonia on December 2, 1918,
just two days after being pronounced cured from wounds re-
ceived during an accident in the Argonne Forest. Young was
a motorcycle runner and in rising from a shell hole during an
46 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
attack his belt became fastened in something and was torn from
his waist. When the pistol in the holster fastened to the belt
fell, the weapon exploded and he was wounded. He recovered
only to contract pneumonia. Young was twenty years old and
enlisted July 21, 1917, in the old 3d Regiment four days before
its departure for Camp Edge, Sea Girt. He went to Camp
McClellan, Anniston, Alabama, with the regiment and was
transferred to Company B, 111th Machine Gun Battalion. He
was the son of William H. and Azza Young, of Collingswood.
TOWNSEND C. YOUNG, Private, of Gloucester City, wa?
killed in action on October 12, 1918, north of Verdun
when the 29th Division entered the Argonne-Meuse battle. He
was a member of Company G, 114th Infantry, and went away
from Camden with the 3d New Jersey National Guard, on July
25, 1917, and was trained at Camp Edge, New Jersey, and Camp
McClellan, Anniston, Ala. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Charles Young, of Gloucester City.
48
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
F
£
C »
5 J"
pd
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. 49
DEPARTURE OF TROOPS.
Navae Militia.
THE first military organization to be called into ser-
vice immediately after America entered the war
was the Second Battalion, Naval Militia, National Guard
of New Jersey. The organization was ordered mobilized
on the night of the day that war was declared, April 6,
1 9 17, and within three hours 85 per cent, of the men
had reported to their barracks on the fourth floor of the
Temple Building. They marched away on Easter Sun-
day morning, April 8, in command of Commander
Francis W. Hoffman. City Solicitor E. G. C. Bleakly
bade them farewell on behalf of the city and Rev. John
B. Haines, D. D., pastor of Centenary M. E. Church;
Rev. George H. Hemingway, D. D., pastor of First
Presbyterian Church, and Rev. Homer J. Vosburgh, D.
D., pastor of North Baptist Church, presented each man
with New Testaments on behalf of the Christian ministry
of the city.
There were 225 officers and men in the battalion con-
sisting of three divisions of seamen and one division of
engineers. They left for League Island Navy Yard to
report aboard the United States cruiser Chicago for
training. These men soon became seasoned seamen and
were transferred to different branches of the Navy.
Quite a number remained aboard the Chicago during the
war. Some of the former militiamen went into Siberia
with the American forces.
The officers of the battalion were: Commander, Fran-
cis W. Hoffman; Lieutenant Commander, William G.
Hodgson; Lieutenants, Edward O. Holloway, William
J. Auten and George W. Keefe; Lieutenants, junior
grade, Henry R. De La Rente, Stewart Johnson, Wilton
R. Cole, Townsend E. Boyer; Ensign, James G. Wil-
liamson; Assistant Surgeon, David F. Bentley, Jr., M.
50 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
D. ; Past Assistant Paymaster, Albert F. Wayne ; Assist-
ant Paymaster, Dr. Harold I. Cragin.
Departure of Guardsmen
Wednesday, July 25, 1917, was one of those humid,
sticky midsummer days with the early morning sun hid-
den behind a midst. The night before had been hot, but
it did not prevent the relatives of the boys of the Camden
companies, of the old Third Regiment, Battery B and
Company B, 104th Engineers, crowding the armories to
see as much of their boys before the departure as pos-
>ible. Many took their final leave then and the scenes
all about were very affecting. As for the youthful sol-
diers themselves, they did not have very much time for
sentiment because everything had to be in readiness for
the departure the next morning. It was indeed a hustling
scene, although in later days and after the gruelling ex-
periences with actual warfare their efforts then were
rather amateurish. But the spirit was willing and what
they lacked in training they made up in energy, so that
by sunup on the 25th all was in readiness for the leave-
taking from their armories.
With Mayor Ellis at the head, the Public Safety Com-
mittee planned to see the Battery, the Engineers and the
old Third off, but the artillerymen had entrained before
it was possible to assist in escorting them to the train on
Border street, just opposite the Camden Iron Works.
However, the committee arrived before the train left and
the young guardsmen were given a royal sendoff. One
of the cars bore the legend in chalk :
"Battery B off to give the Kaiser hell."
That showed the spirit of the boys and caused many
smiles amidst the tears of those left behind. The young-
sters in khaki yelled their farewells to relatives and
friends and were quite anxious to get off because the
partings in most cases had touched them deeply. They
DEPARTURE OF TROOPS. 5 I
waved their hands and the crowd yelled as exactly at 8
o'clock the train pulled up the grade and left for Sea
Girt.
Then the committee, with the mayor, hurried to the
Third Regiment armory where Companies B, C, D and
M, under command of Major Winfield S. Price, to-
gether with the company of engineers in command of
Captain Howard B. Keasby, were getting ready to leave.
There was a great throng along Haddon avenue waiting
for the big armory doors to open and finally they slowly
raised. There was heard a bugle call and then the tramp,
tramp of hundreds of feet. And with Colonel Thomas
D. Landon at the head, issued forth the gallant old
Third with the regimental band playing "Auld Lang
Syne." There was a thrill and sudden silence on the
throng and then it burst into such cheers as the city had
never heard before. Rank after rank followed the col-
onel and with heavy army accoutrement the boys took
up the march to the Federal street terminal to entrain.
This soul-stirring procession was headed by Police
Captain William E. Alberts and a squad of mounted
policemen, then the mayor and the Public Safety Com-
mittee afoot followed by the guardsmen and the engi-
neers. All along the way the curbline was crowded by
thousands and it was quite evident that virtually all the
city and county was out to give the boys off to war God
speed. It was one of those inspiring scenes never to be
forgotten by those who witnessed the marching away
of those in whom the heart of the community was
centered.
At the terminal there were many affecting scenes as
mother or sister or sweetheart, and in a few instances
wives, parted from their loved ones. Quite a number
swooned and even some of the boys who had but a day
before been working in factory or office and who were not
altogether physically trained for the march with heavy
accoutrements collapsed and had to be carried to the
52 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
waiting train. This was held in readiness under the
great trainshed where the relatives and friends as well
as the city's official representatives went and remained
until at 9 o'clock when the signal was given and the start
to Sea Girt was made. And at the time the murkiness
of the skies cleared and the sun peeped forth as the train
carrying all the hopes of Camden county disappeared
down the tracks, taking the loved ones to the great un-
known adventure. It was considered a happy omen by
many a bleeding heart, but in that great subsequent
Armageddon some were destined to be disappointed, even
though most of them did come back.
On the way to Sea Girt, the guardsmen took up the
other companies located in various parts of South Jersey
so that by the time camp was reached that momencous
day Colonel Landon had virtually all his men with him.
For several weeks, the Third, the battery and the engi-
neers remained at Sea Girt and then wenc to Anniston.
When they left the local contingents had the following
officers :
Colonel Thomas D. Landon, Bordentown; Lieutenant
Colonel Daniel O. Mathers, Woodbury; Majors C. W.
Shivers, Woodbury; Winfield S. Price, Camden, and
Raymond G. Nixon, Woodbury; Captain and Adjutant
J. Walter Scott, Camden; Captain and Quartermaster
Walter H. Leedom, West Collingswood ; Captain and
Commissary Edmund DuBois, Woodbury; Chaplain
Charles B. Dubell, Woodbury; First Lieutenant and Bat-
talion Adjutants Vernon L. D. Stultz, Glassboro, and
W. H. Carpenter, Camden; Second Lieutenant and Bat-
talion Quartermaster Edgar A. Anderson, Camden ; Gar-
rett R. Schenck, Woodbury, and Carl Voelker, Ventnor
City; Medical Officers — Major Albert B. Davis, Cam-
den ; Captain Rubert Stevers, Bordentown ; First Lieu-
tenant E. M. Duffield, Glassboro; First Lieutentant
Thomas Lewis, Merchantville ; Major and Disbursing
Officer William H. Chew, Merchantville; Line Officers —
54
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
D
DEPARTURE OF TROOPS. 55
Captains Landon E. Angel, Queen Lane, Pa., Co. A. ;
William J. Gore, Camden, Co. B ; George L. Selby, Cam-
den, Co. C; Henry E. Ankener, West Collingswood, Co.
D; James F. Long, Mt. Holly, Co. E; First Lieutenants
Harry Mayhew, Co. F; Vance L. Ealy, Ocean City, Co.
G; Walter L. Auten, Asbury Park, Co. H ; Albert G. Jag-
gard, Sewell, Co. I ; Leonidas Coyle, Bridgeton, Co. K ;
Abasalom S. Wescott, Atlantic City, Co. L; Edward B.
Stone, Burlington, Co. M.
Battery B — Captain John H. Dittess, First Lieutenants
Charles D. Dickinson and John W. Hicks, Second Lieu-
tenants Charles S. Richards and George S. Middleton.
Company B, 104th Engineers — Captain Howard
Keasby, Salem; First Lieutenants Beale M. Schmucker,
Haddon Heights, and Maxwell B. Allen, Wenonah ; Sec-
ond Lieutenant W. W. Schultz, East Orange. On the
day Co. B left Camden it was joined by twenty men
recruited at East Orange by Lieutenant Schultz.
56 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
TWENTY-NINTH DIVISION IN FRANCE.
THE first elements of the 29th Division, which be-
came known as the Blue and the Gray Division
because it was made up of National Guardsmen from
New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia and District of Colum-
bia, arrived in France on June 28, 1918, debarking at
St. Nazaire. The division was considered able to fight
without further training and entered the Alsace line,
where it stayed two months, holding two different sec-
tors, the first quiet and the second enlivened by hot raids
and heavy shell fire.
The Germans here tried their famous trick of dress-
ing up in French uniforms and running into the Amer-
ican lines, shouting in French, "Don't shoot !" This was
followed by a big raiding party which hit the line at a
point held by Company H, 113th Infantry. Lieutenant
Mayer organized resistance, even calling up cooks from
behind the lines. The raid was checked and a counter
raid that was carried out later wrecked the German
positions.
The Germans also sprang an entirely new trick on the
29th, pouring cresote on them from aeroplanes. This
medieval performance was ineffectual.
The 29th had a career different from most American
divisions, because it was in closer touch with the French
throughout and ably co-operated with them, often using
their methods. Some French experts served with the
29th in the Alsace trenches.
On September 24 the division pulled out of Alsace
and went to Verdun as a resrve for the Argonne attack.
It had a long, terrible march up what the French call the
"Sacred Way" from Bar le Due to Verdun. Near
Verdun there was a great assemblage of lorries with
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. 57
MAJOR-GENERAL CHARLES G. MORTON
Commander of the Twenty-Ninth Division
TWENTY-NINTH DIVISION IN FRANCE. 59
Chinese drivers ready to take them to the Argonne in
case of necessity.
Headquarters were posted in the Verdun citadel and
the men slept two nights on the roadside in buses. The
division moved northward October 7, starting at 2
o'clock in the morning in black dark and pouring rain.
It hiked all night, soaked to the skin.
This whole Meuse region wherein the 29th operated
was covered by constant shell fire and drenched with
deadly gases, which hung in the woods and reeked in
the valleys, making it one of the worst in the war.
Plan oe Battle.
General Claudel, of the 17th French Corps, com-
manded the front into which the 29th Division was sent,
with the 33d and 26th Divisions. The plans of General
Claudel contemplated that the attack should be begun by
his two French divisions in line, the 18th and the 26th.
The 1 8th lay in its trenches with its left on the Meuse,
at Samogneux, and its right about two and one-half kilo-
meters east of there. The 26th lay to the right of the
18th as far as Beaumont, also on a front of about two
and one-half kilometers. Still further to the right was a
French Colonial Corps, with the 15th Colonial Division,
next to the right of the 26th Division, and the 10th
Colonial Division still to the right of that.
The 18th Division was to attack straight north, taking
Haumont, the Bois de Brabant and Ormont Farm. The
26th Division was to take the Bois des Caures, directly
in its front, and later the village of Flabas, north and
slightly east of the woods. The 15th Colonial Division
was to actively protect the right of the 26th by advanc-
ing and occupying the ridge of Caurrieres and the
southern part of l'Herbebois. The 10th Colonial
Division, curving round the bend in the front which ran
southeastward toward Fresnes and the old St. Mihiel
60 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
salient, was to stand fast, but ready to attack if events
warranted.
Only after the 18th Division should have advanced
some distance would it be possible for troops of the 33d
and 29th Divisions to move forward, when they
would cross the river and swing in on the left flank of the
1 8th Division in the widening space between that flank
and the Meuse. For this purpose the 58th Brigade of
the 29th Division only was at first attached to the
1 8th French Division, and was assembled on the west
side of the canal, which had been wrested from the
enemy, between Samogneux and Brabant. From the
latter point to Consenvoye, two and one-half kilometers
northwest, troops of the 33d Division lay west of the
river ready to advance at the proper time.
The mission of the 58th Brigade, 29th Division, was
to clear the Bois de Consenvoye, the ravines and the
edges of the Bassois Bois and the Bois Plat-Chene, north
of it, and thereafter to direct their attack northeastward.
The mission of the 33d Division was to clear the east
bank of the Meuse northward to Sivry and toward the
westward bend at Vilesnes; this with their left flank,
while further east, they would take the Bois de Chaume
and, in conjunction with the 58th Brigade, the Bois
Plat-Chene, later coming up on the escarpments of the
Grande Montagne. The 26th U. S. Division was, for
the present, held in reserve at Verdun.
Battle Begins.
The attack was calculated to be a surprise and it went
over the top without artillery preparation at 5 o'clock
on the morning of October 8. A vigorous barrage was
started at the instant that the infantry moved for-
ward. The desired surprise was effected and the re-
sults of the first day were highly satisfactory. For the
establishment of communications across the river, dur-
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
61
TWENTY-NINTH DIVISION IN FRANCE- 63
ing the previous night the ioth Division Engineers at
Samogneux and the 17th Army Corps Engineers at
Regnsville had built bridges, while at dawn and under
intense shell fire the ioth Engineers of the 33d Division
threw one bridge about 120 feet long across the river
at Brabant and another at Consenvoye, later repairing
the permanent bridge at Consenvoye, and these bridges
the American troops utilized in carrying out their part
of the attack. The 13th and 26th Divisions attained
their normal objectives, the latter taking the Bois de
Caures and approaching Flabas, the former going ahead
about three kilometers into the Bois de Bribant.
The 58th U. S. Brigade, 29th Division, under com-
mand of Col. B. A. Caldwell, attacked from the canal
bank with the 115th Infantry on the left and the 116th
on the right and protected by an accurate barrage from
the 15th Field Artillery Brigade. The advance pushed
on rapidly and with few casualties, driving the enemy
ahead and taking many prisoners, to a line through the
southern part of the Bois de Consenvoye and around into
the Bois de Brabant, on the edge of the Haumont ravine,
where it had liaison with the rest of the 19th Division.
It had broken through two intrenched lines and captured
the formidable heights of Malbrouck Hill and Hill 338.
About 9 o'clock in the morning two battalions of the
I32d Infantry of the 33d Division crossed the river at
Brabant and attacked north against the Bois de Chaume,
• taking the whole woods to its north edge, but later draw-
ing back to the south edge to maintain liaison with the
flank of the 58th Brigade, which was not so far north
in the Bois de Consenvoye.
As soon as the Germans recovered from the confusion
caused by the first surprise attack on the second day's
battle, their immense artillery and machine gun strength
began to utilize the advantage of conditions, and there-
after the progress of the French and American divisions
was made more slowly and at heavy cost. But the pro-
64 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
gress accomplished, amounted, in substance, to a gradual
right turn on the pivot of the 26th French Division
near Beaumont, which, as the rest of the front advanced
northeastward slowly worked its left up toward Flabas,
while the 18th Division, further west, swung on a
slightly larger arc toward Crepion and Moirey.
The 58th Brigade of the 29th Division lay on its line
through the Bois de Consenvoye on October 9, because
the 1 8th Division, to its right, was not far enough
advanced to warrant a further attack. Consequently,
when the attack was resumed on the 10th, the enemy was
thoroughly prepared and efforts in conjunction with the
33d Division on the left, to secure the whole of the Bois
de Chaume and the Bois Plat Chene, were repulsed until
toward evening, when part of the last-mentioned wood
was secured. Facing a shell fire the next day, chiefly
from the Grande Montagne and the Bois d'Etrayes, so
terrific that it eventually cut down all the thick underbush
in the Bois de Consenvoye, the 58th Brigade, 29th Di-
vision, now under its own division command, pushed up
to the south edge of the Molleville Farm, clearing and
consolidated positions, thence west through the Bois Plat-
Chene, which were held until the 15th.
Meantime, on October 12, the 57th Brigade, with the
114th Infantry on the right and the 113th on the left,
endeavored to clear the Bois de la Reine and the Bois
d'Ormont, in liaison with the 18th Division, but the
resistance was very violent, and little progress was made.
October 12 will remain in the memory of the troops of
the 1 14th Infantry as long as they live. The 2d Battalion,
formerly members of the old 3d Regiment, New Jersey
National Guards, began action without artillery support.
They succeeded in advancing 1,000 meters in a sector
where the French had tried five times and failed to gain.
After making the advance named they held on for five
days, 300 meters in advance of the French Division.
When they began action on this eventful day they had
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. 65
-MAJOR GEORGE L. SELBY
Commander of Company G, 114th Infantry; promoted for br
ery on the field after the famous charge in the Argonne
Forest October 12th, 1918
TWENTY-NINTH DIVISION IN FRANCE. 67
one French battery for support and the enemy located
this battery and put it out of commission in the early
stages of the battle. The battalion was then dependent
on the one pounders of Headquarters Company in com-
mand of Lieutenant Albert S. Howard, of Camden,
which were blown to atoms. Four hundred and eighty
men in the regiment were killed, fifteen hundred
wounded and gassed, ninety per cent, of the officers killed
or wounded and out of 3,500 men in the 114th Regi-
ment, who went into battle, but 681 were fit for duty.
Most qf these men suffered machine gun bullet wounds
in the knees and recovered. Captain Williams, of Com-
pany E, and Captain Shumacker, of Company F, were
killed. Captain George L. Selby, of Company G, and
Captain Edward B. Stone, of Company H, were pro-
moted majors on the field. Lieutenant Edward West,
of Camden, was advanced to the rank of captain for
bravery.
When the second big phase of the battle began October
23, the 113th joined the 116th in the attack on the final
objective, d'Etrayes Ridge. Toward 5 o'clock in the
afternoon two caterpillar rockets soaring from Hill 361
announced the ridge taken. A fine machine gun offen-
sive action featured this attack. Groups of gunners pre-
ceeded the infantry, barraging perpendicularly across
their advance, this enfilading the enemy and clearing the
way. The machine gunners' casualties were heavy.
On October 26, while the 113th repulsed counter-
attacks on d'Etrayes Ridge the 114th helped the French
on the right in attacking the Bois Belleau. Difficulties
were increased b)^ the activities of a pure white boche
aeroplane which, almost invisible, sailed overhead direct-
ing - artillery fire.
By October 28, the 115th and 116th Infantry, having
gained Grande Montagne, all the Meuse heights were
taken, and the Allies were able to debouch into the
Woevre plain to flank the German line and the Argonne
68 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
offensive was enabled to proceed without danger from
enfilading fire.
The 29th was relieved October 28 by the 79th
Division. During this action three Medals of Honor,
approximately 200 Distinguished Service Crosses and
71 Croix de Guerre were awarded to the division, which
lost 5,796 officers and enlisted men in casualties and
captured 2,148 prisoners and much artillery and material
and gained seven kilometers of ground in twenty days
of as bitter fighting as troops were ever called upon to
endure.
Division is Cited.
Because of the accomplishments and bravery of this
division the following citation was issued by Major
General Charles G. Morton, the commander :
HEADQUARTERS 29TH DIVISION.
American E. F., 1 Nov. 18.
General Orders No. 59.
Now that its part in the action north of Verdun is finished,
the Division Commander wishes to take occasion to express
his deep appreciation of the skill, endurance and courage shown
by the officers and men of the division, including both staff and
line, in a most difficult and prolonged fight.
Everything was opposed to our success. We had a most
determined enemy in our front and one skilled by four years
of warfare, whereas this was the first real fight of our division.
On most days the weather was bad and the ground difficult,
added to the fact that the fighting was largely in woods. On
account of the woods, ravines and dampness, gassing of our
troops was easily accomplished and full advantage of this fact
was taken by the enemy to whom the use of gas was an old
story.
Without exception the organizations of the division and their
commanders responded heroically to every call upon them and
at the end of the fight we had not only gained our objectives,
but we had therm and turned them over to our successors. We
advanced some eight kilometers through the enemy's trenches,
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. 69
CAPTAIN EDWARD WEST
Promoted for Bravery in Argonne Forest on October 12th, 1918
TWENTY-NINTH DIVISION IN FRANCE. 7 1
and captured over 2,100 prisoners, 7 cannons, about 200 ma-
chine guns and a large quantity of miscellaneous military prop-
erty. We had the pleasure of seeing two hostile divisions with-
drawn from our front, one of which was composed of some of
the best troops of the German army. On many occasions
captured prisoners stated that our attack was so rapid and our
fire so effective that they were overwhelmed and had nothing
to do but to retire or surrender.
In this brief summing up the results of its first fight the
Division Commander feels that every officer and man partici-
pating, whether in planning or in executing, should feel a just
pride in what has been accomplished. This is but repeating the
praise that has been bestowed upon the division by both Ameri-
can and French superior commanders.
By command of Major General Morton:
S. A. COLEMAN,
Colonel of Infantry, Chief of Staff.
Official:
HARRY KOOPE,
Adjutant General, Adjutant.
Co. B, 104th Engineers
Company B, First Battalion, New Jersey Engineers ?
was organized in Camden April of 191 7 and was mobi-
lized at Sea Girt on July 25, of the same year. It was
composed of men recruited from Camden and surround-
ing communities by Major Harry C. Kramer, together
with a small group enlisted at Newark by Second Lieu-
tenant William W. Schultz. The original company when
mobilized at Sea Girt included 164 men commanded by
Captain Howard B. Keasby, First Lieutenant Beale M.
Schmucker, First Lieutenant Maxwell B. Allen and Sec-
ond Lieutenant Schultz. On August 17, 1917, Company
B left Sea Girt and entrained for Camp McClellan, An-
niston, Alabama, where they arrived August 21. After
arriving at this camp the company was detailed to work
with Major Dulin in completing the building of the
camp, then in the first stages of construction.
J2 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
When Camp McClellan was completed the First Bat-
talion, N. J. Engineers, was made into a regiment by
adding three companies of picked infantry and was given
the name of the 104th Regiment Engineers. It was then
composed of six companies, A, B, C, D, E and F, con-
sisting of 250 men to a company. The winter and the
following spring were spent at Anniston, while the men
were instructed in work essential to a sapper regiment.
On June 19, 19 18, the regiment sailed for France on the
transport "Northern Pacific," and the trip across was
without incident except on the third day out, Sunday,
June 3, when guns fore and aft fired on a supposed sub
which turned out to be a buoy.
On Wednesday, June 26, the transport dropped anchor
in the harbor at Brest. This was 5 o'clock in the after-
noon and the landing took place the following day, the
regiment marching to the Pontanezan Barracks where it
camped for seven days. On July 3 the people of Brest
presented the regiment with the American colors and
these were carried by the engineers in the Fourth of July
parade. On Friday, July 5, the regiment left Brest and
by easy stages traveled across France toward Alsace,
billeting at the towns of Coublanc, Giromagny, Chever-
mont and Grosne and arriving at Courtlevant, Alsace,
Saturday, July 27. Company B immediately took up the
work of constructing dugouts on the Swiss border. On
August 19 Company B left Courtlevant and proceeded
to Montreaux Vieux, arriving at the front on Friday.
August 30, where it was split into two detachments — two
platoons going to Hagenbach, the remaining three being
sent to Ballersdorf. Both towns were constantly under
shell fire from the enemy during the stay of the detach-
ments, but there were no casualties. The work was con-
fined to the construction of machine gun emplacements
and observation posts in the front line trenches.
Saturday, September 21, Company B marched out of
Ffagenbach and Ballersdorf, proceeding to Nouvillard
TWENTY-NINTH DIVISION IN FRANCE. 7$
and then to Belfort where the command entrained with
the regiment and proceeded to Mussy, thence to Marrot
le Grande and by auto to Avocourt on the western front,
arriving September 27. The transportation section pro-
ceeded to Avocourt by way of Mallancourt and arrived
three days later, having been caught in the traffic jam.
At Avocourt the command was under enemy shell fire
while constructing and maintaining highways necessary
for the advance of the artillery, infantry and ammuni-
tion. Saturday, October 5, the company marched to
Samogneux, north of Verdun sector, arriving four days
later. The work of restoring and maintaining the road-
ways was resumed in addition to reconstructing bridges
and filling in mine holes made by enemy shells. Constant
firing from the enemy often destroyed the work as soon
as it was finished.
While at Samogneux two platoons of Company B, in-
cluding eighty men and three officers, were sent to the
Bois du Consenoye and from there proceeded to a point
near the Molleville Farm, about 700 yards from the
enemys trenches, carrying German spiral wire for the
construction of entanglements. On the night of October
30 the company left this point and marched to Hauden-
ville, proceeding from there to Mongeville by auto. The
command then marched to Sommelonne, leaving that
town Monday, November 18. The regiment proceeded
to Nant le Grande, then to Ligny and then entrained and
proceeded to Jussy. On detraining Company B marched
to Blondefontaine, arriving Wednesday, November 20.
The company was later billeted in several towns includ-
ing Bourbonne les Baines, Fresnes sur Aspance and Bour-
beville. Saturday morning, April 29, 19 19, the company
marched from the latter town to Jussy, entrained and
marched to Montoir (Camp Gutherie), neart Saint
Nazaire. Here the regiment was deloused and prepared
for embarkation to the United States. On the morning
of May 11 the regiment marched from Montoir to St.
74 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
Nazaire, a distance of eight miles, where the boys board-
ed the transport Manchuria, which pulled out for home
at 2 p. m. Ten days of a very calm voyage and the Sta-
tue of Liberty was greeted with glad acclaim. The regi-
ment landed at Hoboken May 22 and proceeded to Camp
Merritt where it remained for four days. On Monday,
May 26, the regiment paraded in Newark and Trenton
and then proceeded to Camp Dix, remaining several days.
Company B was honorably discharged Thursday, May
29, 1919.
Of those who went overseas all returned save First
Class Private William C. Ablett, who was killed in action
in the Meuse-Argonne offensive; First Class Private
Frank Randle, who died of disease on furlough in Eng-
land, and First Class Private George A. Bowers, who
died of disease while on furlough at Aix-les-Bains.
When the company returned the officers were : Captain
Percy H. Ridgway, of Washington ; First Lieutenant
Beale M. Schmucker, First Lieutenant Frank Errico, Jr.,
First Lieutenant William W. Schultz and Second Lieu-
tenant Coleman B. Burdette, all of New Jersey, and Sec-
ond Lieutenant Louis P. Veil, of Ohio.
112TH Field Artillery.
Sailing from New York, on the H. M. S. Melita,
June 28, 1918, the 112th Heavy Field Artillery, includ-
ing Battery "B" of Camden, arrived at Liverpool,
England, on the morning of July 12. Immediately en-
training they traveled throughout the day, arriving at
Southampton at midnight, where they went into camp.
On July 13 they boarded the swift steamer. Prince
George, which turned her nose toward the submarine
invested English Channel shortly before dusk and raced
desperately for safety during the night, arriving at dawn
July 15, in the port of Le Havre, France.
TWENTY-NINTH DIVISION IN FRANCE. 75
After resting twenty-four hours in the camp on the
heights beyond the port of Le Havre, the Camden artil-
lerymen entrained on July 15 and proceeded to Poitiers,
in the Department of Vienne, where they arrived at mid-
night July 17. The men here experienced their first
French billets, being quartered in a huge and very old
stone barn located in the village of Biard, two kilometers
from Poitiers.
Completing a month of preliminary training, during
which elementary knowledge of French artillery was
gained, the organization entrained on Sunday, August
22, for Camp de Meucon, near Vannes, in the Depart-
ment of Morbihan, where they arrived at dawn on
August 24.
Six weeks training in the intricacies of artillery
support, augmented by daily practice and frequent
assumed warfare problems, here made the regiment ready
for the battle line.
Having completed the course, the men idled until
Sunday, November 10, when they entrained for an
unknown destination. Word was received enroute of
the armistice being signed and on November 13, during
the frigid early morning, they were ordered to detrain
at Liefold le Grande, in the Department of Haute Soane,
and the Camden battery was billeted with regimental
headquarters in the tiny hamlet Trampot. The second
battalion of the regiment was quartered at Chambron-
court, two kilometers distant.
While the training at Camp de Meucon had been in
progress word was definitely received that the 54th
Field Artillery Brigade, of which the 112th Regiment
was a part, had been discontinued as a part of the 29th
Division. During the stay at Trampot the brigade was
independent.
Orders were received late in November re-assigning
the organization to the Blue and Gray Division, and in
the driving rain of a French winter the 112th H. F. A.
y6 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
began a five day overland hike on December 6, 1918, for
the Bourbone les Baines area, where the division was
stationed.
Jussey, in the Department of Haute Soane, was allo-
cated as the regimental area and headquarters were
established there on December 11, 19 18. The Camden
men were billeted in the village of Condrecourt, two
kilometers from Jussey, where First Battalion headquar-
ters were set up.
A vigorous training schedule was followed at this
village until April 11, 1919, when the regiment was
ordered to the Le Mans area for preparation to return
home. Battery B did not accompany the regiment to
Le Mans, but was designated to remain in the billeting
area until April 25, 1919, when they proceeded directly
to St. Nazarine, the port of embarkation.
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. JJ
SELECTIVE SERVICE
THE Seventy-eighth Division, which became known
as the Lightning Division and won fame in the
capture of St. Mihiel and in the Argonne Forest by the
capture of Grand Pre, was organized under the Selective
Service Law passed by Congress on May 18, 191 7. The
men drafted under this law became part of the National
Army. The majority of the men called under the Selec-
tive Service Act or Draft Law, were sent to Camp Dix
and assigned to the Seventy-eighth Division.
After this law was passed it was necessary for the War
Department to arrange for the registration of every male
citizen between the ages of twenty-one and thirty-one
inclusive. On June 5, 1917, every citizen of the ages
prescribed in the law, not in the army, navy or marine
corps, was compelled to register under the law. The
mayor of each city was held responsible for the registra-
tion of every man in his city. The men registered at the
polling booth of their district with the election board in
session and the chairman of the board as registrar. Under
the act the mayor of each city named division boards sub-
ject to the approval of the Governor of the State.
On May 25, 19 17, Mayor Ellis named the following
division boards :
First Division — First, Second and Tenth Wards :
Judge Frank T. Lloyd, chairman; Harry R. Humphreys,
secretary; Dr. E. A. Y. Schellenger, medical examiner.
Second Division — Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Ninth
Wards : Ralph W. E. Donges, chairman ; Rev. Holmes
F. Gravatt, D. D., secretary; Dr. Marcus K. Mines,
medical examiner.
Third Division — Seventh, Eighth and Thirteenth
Wards : Rev. John B. McCloskey, chairman ; Baptist S.
Scull, secretary; Dr. Grant E. Kirk, medical examiner.
7& CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
Fourth Division — Eleventh and Twelfth Wards :
George W. Kirkbride, chairman; Samuel Wharton, sec-
retary; Dr. Charles F. Hadley, medical examiner.
Disorder was threatened throughout the country by
those who opposed the draft but Camden was ready.
City firemen were sworn in as special officers by the
mayor and every member of the Public Safety Commit-
tee called on to stand ready to assist the police in quelling
any riots. The day passed off without disorder. It was
a general holiday and 11,299 registered in the city and
4,269 in the county. Camden was the first city in the
State to complete its returns and report them to the ad-
jutant general of the State. The entire registration in
Camden was in charge of William D. Sayrs, Jr.
On July 20 the serial numbers were drawn at Wash-
ington and the first number drawn was 258. The men
were called for service in order of their serial numbers.
The draft boards sat on August 7 for the first to examine
men called both for dependencies and physical fitness.
This plan was later changed when the Government issued
questionnaires in which the men subject to the draft were
permitted to answer all questions as to their dependencies
and physical fitness and file other claims with affidavits
attached. These questionnaires were passed on by the
draft boards and saved considerable time.
The division boards which compiled the registration of
men eligible to army service were named by Mayor Ellis
as Draft or Exemption Boards. Judge Frank T. Lloyd
and Harry R. Humphreys resigned from the First City
Exemption Board and were succeeded by Thomas E.
French as chairman and Joseph H. Forsyth. Dr. J. Lynn
Mahaffey succeeded Dr. Schellenger as medical examiner
after the latter's death. Ralph W. E. Donges resigned
from the Second City Board and was succeeded by Rev.
Holmes F. Gravatt as chairman and John F. Griffee was
appointed to fill the vacancy on the board. Dr. A. B.
Reader succeeded Dr. Grant E. Kirk, who enlisted in the
SELECTIVE SERVICE. 79
army, as medical examiner for the Third City Draft
Board. Judge Lloyd became Food Administrator, Harry
R. Humphreys assumed a responsible official position with
the New York Shipbuilding- Corporation and Ralph W.
E. Donges was commissioned in the army. Oswin D.
Kline succeeded Samuel Wharton on the Fourth City-
Board and Dr. Lee K. Hammitt succeeded Dr. Haclley
as examining physician. Two county boards were named
as follows : First County Board — W. Penn Corson,
chairman ; Francis F\ Patterson, secretary, and Dr. Frank
O. Stem, medical examiner ; Second County Board :
Henry J. West, chairman; Maurice B. Rudderow, sec-
retary; Dr. Edward S. Sheldon, medical examiner. The
clerks of the boards were : First City, Albert McAllister ;
Second City, Albert Austermuhl; Third City, Miss Julia
M. Carey ; Fourth City, Miss Maude Hicks ; First Coun-
ty, Howard E. Truax ; Second County, Edgar R. Holme.
The appeal agents for the boards were as follows : First
City District, James H. Long; Second City District,
Howard J. Dudley; Third City District, Ralph D. Chil-
drey; Fourth City District, Francis B. Wallen; First
County District, Ephraim T. Gill, of Haddonfield; Sec-
ond County District, Thomas W. Jack, Collingswood.
The first men were sent to Camp Dix on September 5,
19 1 7. They were followed on consecutive days by sev-
eral more men. A parade was given in honor of the selec-
tive service men on September 4 and Battery B, First
New Jersey Field Artillery, came down from Sea Girt
to participate in the demonstration.
Before the armistice was signed 43,516 had been reg-
istered and 3,333 men were accepted at army camps.
The available records show that 1,067 men enlisted in the
army, navy and marines. The records also show that
4,960 men of Camden county were in the service.
8o CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
SEVENTY-EIGHTH DIVISION.
THE Seventy-eighth Division was formed from the
units of Selective Service men sent to Camp Dix
from New Jersey and New York. To be exact there
were 11,806 from this State and 11,064 from New York.
On August 24, 1917, the first companies of the 311th
Infantry were organized at Camp Dix and by September
there were two companies from Camden. As other regi-
ments were formed the Camden city and county boys
became scattered through the division. The following
units were organized: 309th, 310th, 311th and 312th In-
fantry; 307th, 308th and 309th Field Artillery, 303d
Trench Mortar Battery, 303d Engineers, 303d Ammuni-
tion Train, 303d Sanitary Train ; 307th, 308th and 309th
Machine Gun Battalions, beside Field Hospital and Am-
bulance Corps.
The division remained at ,Camp Dix under intensive
training until the following spring, receiving additional
men continually from New Jersey and New York com-
munities. Under command of Major General J. H.
McRae, the division began sailing for France in May.
The infantry and artillery sailed on separate transports.
The artillerymen left Camp Dix for Hoboken, the port
of embarkation, on May 6 and boarded the great British
liner Cedric, which was then being used as a transport.
The infantry followed a few days later. Both the
artillery and infantry landed at Liverpool. The infan-
try proceeded across England and boarded a transport,
crossing the English Channel and landed at Calais.
France. The artillery reached Liverpool May 14 and
left for Southampton. They made the trip across the
channel from this port to La Havre. The infantry and
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. 8l
MAJOR-GEXERAL JAMES H. McRAE
Commander of Seventy-Eighth Division
SEVENTY-EIGHTH DIVISION. 83
artillery never joined as a division until the famous
battle in the Argonne Forest.
Infantry at Arras.
The doughboys, as the infantry was termed, went to
a rest camp two miles from Calais. They stayed there
four days and during their sojourn at this camp
enemy aeroplanes made an attack. None of the soldiers
was killed but several coolies, employed as laborers,
were slain. From here the infantry was sent to Belquine
in northern France, from which place the roar of cannon
could be heard. The division stayed at Belquine for a
month under intense training. They were moved to
Framecourt toward the Arras sector. They stayed
there for a month and then hiked twenty miles full pack
for two days to a place called Duisans, three miles from
Arras, on the British front.
Officers and non-commissioned officers were sent into
the lines for observation and experience. The 78th In-
fantry expected to go in any day with the British. On
August 5 they got orders that they would go south to
the American sector at St. Mihiel. The doughboys were
visited by King George on August 8.
Six weeks of training in every kind of warfare made
the Seventy-eighth one of the crack units of the American
Expeditionary Forces and it became known as the Light-
ning Division.
The first battle in which the 78th Division Infantry
participated was in the St. Mihiel sector. This drive
opened on the morning of September 12, and the
Lightning Division troops were given one of the most
important sectors on the line. They went into the bat-
tle with a will, fought in the open area and emerged
victorious. They had met the enemy and conquered,
but it was hard fighting.
84 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
The infantry stuck to its guns and for seventeen days
held the foe and pushed him back in one of the greatest
battles in history. An appropriate word picture of the
battle in this sector is hardly possible. At one time the
Germans were not more than fifty feet from the Amer-
icans, the enemy steadily retreating before the onslaughts
of the infantry.
The 311th Infantry lost two officers and fifty-four
men, killed in action in this sector, while eight officers
and 221 men were wounded. Forty-six men were
gassed and one was reported missing.
The boys came out of the lines on October 5, worn
and muddy, but with spirits running high. They
missed the comrades who fell before the enemy fire.
Artillery Movements.
Brigadier General Hern commanded the 153d Field
Artillery Brigade, made up of the 78th Division's artil-
lery regiments. When these gunners reached Le Havre
on May 17, 19 18, they were sent to Camp De Meuchon
for six weeks training, after which the three regiments
were sent to the Toul sector. They remained in position
for three weeks, but did not get into action.
The 307th, 308th, and 309th Artillery first went into
action on the morning of September 12 in front of St.
Mihiel. They supported the 90th Division. It was one
o'clock in the morning when that sensational artillery
duel opened. The 307th and 308th were termed as Light
Artillery and they manned the famous French 75's, or 75
millimeter guns, while the 309th was designated as
heavy artillery and they fired 155 millimeter guns. It
was one o'clock on that famous morning that the whole
sector, which prior to that time had been a quiet one for
four years, belched forth the greatest cannonading the
world has ever known. The Lightning Division gun-
ners were firing three shells per minute from their pieces.
I'AMDKN I'ol'NTV IN Tlllv GREAT WAR.
85
— - A
1
SEVENTY-EIGHTH DIVISION. 87
At five o'clock they began to pour their shells over at the
rate of six per minute from each cannon and it seemed
as though all of the powers of hell had let loose. And at
five o'clock under the cover of this terrible fire the dough-
boys, with rifles in hand, went over the top. They were
from the north, south, east and west. They advanced
in skirmish line formation, after the custom of the Amer-
ican indians, and in those ranks of freedom were whites,
indians, negroes and mongolians. They advanced on St.
Mihiel and captured it and for two weeks battered the
enemy back until they reached a position nine kilometers
from the supposed impregnable fortress of Metz.
The Germans had fortified Metz for years and it was
the main bulwark against the Rhineland. The Ameri-
cans were eager to capture the city and could have done
so but for the strategy of the Germans. All of the Amer-
icans taken prisoners by them were gathered in Metz, and
when American aviators learned this, the assault on the
city was not pressed with vigor. During this action the
78th's Artillery made a two-day raid on Limy in this
sector with success. The barrage laid down by the Light-
ning gunners pleased the commanding officer of the 90th
Division so well that he sent word back to General Hern
that it was the most perfect barrage he had ever received
and he had participated in four other big drives
But the assault on Metz and the capture of St. Mihiel
proved only to be a feint to keep the enemy busy while
General John J. Pershing was mobilizing his great army
in the Argonne for the greatest battle in the world's his-
tory, and last battle in the world war, which caused the
crushing defeat of the German autocracy and its great
military machine.
The Lightning Division's Artillery was withdrawn
from the St. Mihiel sector and sent to the Argonne to
support the 78th Division Infantry for the first time.
88 camden county in the great war.
Meuse-Argonne.
One of the last and most decisive battles was that of
these Meuse-Argonne sector. The Lightning Division
became the corps reserve on October 13, and the follow-
ing day received orders to be ready on one hour's notice
to advance into the line. October 15 dawned with the
receipt of orders to relieve the 308th Infantry of the
Seventy-seventh Division and in the relief process three
men were incapacitated by the gas sent over unmerci-
fully by the Germans.
On October 16, following orders to advance, the
troops moved in utter darkness and the attack was com-
menced without an artillery barrage, but accompanied
by counter battery artillery fire. The men could not
advance owing to the hostile shelling and machine gun
fire, but the enemy withdrew north of the Aire river.
Orders were received on October 22 to capture Grand
Pre and to establish positions in the woods north and
northwest of Grand Pre. The Third Battalion of the
311th Infantry was designated to assist the 312th In-
fantry in this operation. Company C, forming a part
of the First Battalion, was ordered to remain in position
and continued to prepare for a general attack along the
entire corps front.
Million Dollar Barrage.
What gained fame afterward as the "Million Dollar
Barrage'' was laid against a wooded hill near Grand
Pre. This hill stood between the 78th Division and the
town. It was filled with German machine gunners,
whose dugouts were so constructed as to withstand the
terrible high explosives the Lightning Artillery was
pouring into them. For eighteen hours the 307th Field
Artillery shelled the German machine gun nests with
mustard gas, and when they finished, the doughboys had
SEVENTY-EIGHTH DIVISION. 89
no trouble in taking the woods for there was not a live
German left in the vicinity. So much gas was used
that it was estimated that the attack cost a million
dollars.
The fighting continued each day until November 5,
when orders were issued for the relief of the Lightning
Division by the 426. or Rainbow Division. When
the 78th men relieved the soldiers of the 77th Division,
the town of Grand Pre was still in the hands of the
Germans, with the exception of a few houses on the
extreme southern edge. The capture of the town itself
was of no importance to the American Army unless the
heights beyond it also came into Yankee possession and
the 78th Division was called upon to accomplish the
feat.
The 78th Division kept after the Germans. When re-
lieved by the Rainbow Division on November 5, the latter
division complained that they were compelled to march
without rest to catch up.
On November 6, after the troops came out of the
lines, they marched back over the same route traversed
when they advanced toward the enemy. The regiments
stopped at a rest camp at Camp Mahont, along the line,
which was formerly occupied by Germans. The huge
camp, housing the Germans for four years, showed
every evidence of their long occupation, for all the dug-
outs were built and furnished elaborately. The suite of
dugouts formerly occupied by the Crown Prince and
his high command evoked much interest among the
troops and the grand fountain and bath rooms built for
the Crown Prince were made good use of. Narrow
gauge railway tracks, huge tanks of water, electric power
plants and many other conveniences gave proof that the
enemy was well situated in this camp.
The troops believed then that they were on their way
to shell Metz again, but their orders were changed when
the armistice was signed on November 11. They were
90 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
sent to a point north of Verdun and stayed in posi-
tion for four days to make sure the Germans were com-
plying with the terms of the armistice. Then they were
moved into a French barracks at Verdun, where they
remained for two weeks. They were next moved to Cote
de Ore, "county of gold," where the division remained
until it sailed for home. Division headquarters were
established at Semur.
On Sunday, February 16, memorial services were
held in honor of the fallen brothers of the regiment in
the church at Flavigny where the boys were stationed.
Nearly every officer and soldier stationed in the town and
all the civilian inhabitants attended the services, which
were marked by impressiveness. The ceremonies were
arranged by the French people and marked the heartfelt
appreciation they felt for the soldiers.
The 78th Division was relieved from duty on April
6, by orders from General Headquarters and began sail-
ing for home early in May, arriving the latter part of
the month. The division was demobilized at Camp Dix
and parades were held in honor of the different units at
Newark, Trenton and Elizabeth.
General John J. Pershing, Commander-in-Chief, visited
the 78th Division three times during its stay in France.
His last review was on March 26, 1919, on the historic
Plains of Les Launes, where two thousand years ago
the legions of Caeser battled with the Gauls and where
the latter defeated the invaders. General Pershing's first
visit was made at Nielles Les Blequin, while in training
with the British. Later when the division headquarters
were established at Chatel Chehery during the operations
in the neighborhood of Grand Pre.
In a letter to Governor Walter E. Edge, General
McRae paid the following tribute to the division :
"The State of New Jersey has every reason to be proud of
the part played by the soldiers of this command representing
that State. Their unquestioned loyalty at all times, their spirit
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
91
..-.
SEVENTY-EIGHTH DIVISION. 93
of sacrifices and self negation under the strain of battle and their
unsurpassed gallantry in action have been an inspiration to all.
Their forceful efforts have contributed in a large degree to the
success of the operations of this command.
"It has been the fortune of this command to have had a gen-
erous number of Distinguished Service Awards made to its
members.
"The President, in the name of Congress, has awarded the
Medal of Honor to a New Jersey soldier — Sergeant William
Sawelson (deceased), Company M, 312th Infantry, whose home
is in Harrison, N. J. — 'for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity
above and beyond the call of duty, in action with the enemy at
Grand Pre, France, 25th October, 1919.'
"The Commander-in-Chief, in the name of the President, has
decorated ninety-one members of this command with the Dis-
tinguished Service Cross, 'for extraordinary heroism in action,'
and it is confidently anticipated that additional awards will be
made from recommendations now under consideration. A list
of names with organization and home address (where prac-
ticable) of those receiving this reward is furnished you herewith.
It may be gratifying to note that of the ninety-one Distin-
guished Service Crosses bestowed, forty-two have gone to
soldiers whose homes are in New Jersey."
In bidding farewell to the division on April 6, 1919,
Major General Wright, commanding the First Army
Corps, said:
"This is the last maneuver of the 78th Division as a
part of the First Army Corps, as it passes into the S.
O. S. on April 6, in preparation of its early departure
for the United States and I desire to take this oppor-
tunity of complimenting and thanking you for the splen-
did work you have done over here. You have all been
good soldiers and are deserving of the highest reward
that can be bestowed upon a soldier; a reward that is
far above promotion or increase of salary, the reward
of a consciousness of duty well done. You will go
through life and pass to your graves feeling proud of
having served your country so splendidly and your chil-
dren and grandchildren will point with pride to your
deeds of valor. But when you return to the United
94 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
States do not boast, do not complain and do not magnify
the hardships and vicissitudes of campaign, for it will
do you no good and will only reflect discredit on your
division. Be loyal to the A. E. F., to its Commander-
in-Chief, to your division and above all to your own-
selves. Let the record of your division stand as a tes-
timonial of the work it did over here and history will
relate the splendid part it took in the great war.
"In conclusion, I desire to thank you for your loyalty
and devotion to the common cause and bid you good-bye
and Godspeed."
The division had a total of 947 men killed, 163 died
of wounds, 195 missing in action, 12 captured and 5,715
wounded, making a grand total of 7,032. The casualties
of the New Jersey men and the New York men in the
division were about on a par in each of these great
battles. New Jersey's was 2,698 and New York's 2,744.
The respective figures for "eaetf of the two operations
follow: St. Mihiel, New Jersey, 830; New York, 846;
Argonne, New Jersey, 1,868; New York, 1,898. Of
this number, New Jersey men to the total of 138 were
killed or died of wounds at St. Mihiel, and New York's
total was 149. The Argonne figures were: New Jersey,
285; New York, 351.
The officers of the Seventy-eighth Division were:
Major Gen. James H. McRae, commanding; Lieut. Col.
Harry N. Cootes, chief of staff; Major William T. Mac-
Millian, adjutant general. 155th Brigade Infantry, Brig.
Gen. Mark L. Hersey — 309th Reg. Infantry, Colonel
John M. Morgan; 310th Reg. Infantry, Colonel Walter
C. Babcock; 308th Machine-Gun Battalion, Major Ed-
ward M. Offley. 156th Brigade Infantry, Brig. Gen.
James H. Dean — 311th Reg. Infantry, Colonel Marcus
B. Stokes; 312th Reg. Infantry, Colonel A. Van P. An-
derson; 309th Machine-Gun Battalion, Major Henry R.
Allen. 153d Brigade Field Artillery, Brig. Gen. Clint C.
Hern — 307th Reg. Field Artillery, Colonel James H.
SEVKNTY-EIGHTH DIVISION. 95
Bryson; 38th Reg. Field Artillery, Colonel Charles M.
Bunker; 309th Reg. Field Artillery, Colonel Edwin O.
Sarratt; 303d Trench Mortar Battery, Captain John E.
McClothan. Engineer Troops — 303d Reg. Engineers,
Colonel E. M. Markham. Signal Troops — 303d Field
Signal Battalion, Major James Kelly. Division Units —
78th Div. Headquarters Troop, Captain G. S. Wool-
worth; 307th Machine-Gun Battalion, Major Robert M.
Beck, Jr.
96 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
NEW JERSEY TROOPS
FAMOUS
NEW Jersey has every reason to be proud of
the soldiers sent to France from the Garden
State. They acquitted themselves with valor in
the Argonne-Meuse. Both the Twenty-ninth and
Seventy-eighth Divisions were part of the First
Army. The Twenty-ninth went into the drive on
the extreme right and the Seventy-eighth on the
extreme left.
The prowess of American arms in the great
battle was recorded in General Order No. 232 is-
sued by the commander-in-chief, General John J.
Pershing, over his signature as follows :
General Order No. 232
"Tested and strengthened by the reduction of
the St. Mihiel salient, for more than six weeks
you battered against the pivot of the enemy line
on the Western front. It was a position of im-
posing natural strength, stretching on both sides
of the Meuse river from the bitterly contested
hills of Verdun to the almost impenetrable forest
of the Argonne; a position, moreover, fortified by
four years of labor designed to render it impreg-
nable; a position held with the fullest resources
of the enemy. That position you broke utterly,
and thereby hastened the collapse of the enemy's
military power.
"Soldiers of all the divisions engaged under the
First, Third and Fifth Corps — the 1st, 2d, 3d,
NEW JERSEY TROOPS FAMOUS.
97
4th, 5th, 7th, 26th, 28th, 29th, 32c!, 33d, 37th,
42d, 77th, 78th, 79th, 80th, 82d, 89th, 90th and
91st — you will be long remembered for the stub-
born persistence of your progress, your storming
of obstinately defended machine gun nests, your
penetration, yard by yard, of woods and ravines,
your heroic resistance in the face of counter-
attacks supported by powerful artillery fire. For
more than a month, from the initial attack of
September 26, your fought your way slowly
through the Argonne, through the woods and
over hills west of the Meuse; you slowly enlarged
your hold on the Cotes de Meuse to the east ; and
then, on the first of November, your attack forced
the enemy into flight. Pressing his retreat, you
cleared the entire left bank of the Meuse south of
Sedan, and then stormed the heighths on the right
bank and drove him into the plain beyond.
"Your achievements, which is scarcely to be
equaled in American history, must remain a
source of proud satisfaction to the troops who
participated in the last campaign of the war. The
American people will remember it as the realiza-
tion of the hitherto potential strength of the
American contribution toward the cause to which
they had sworn allegiance. There can be no
greater reward for a soldier or for a soldier's
memory.
This order will be read to all organizations at
the first assembly formation after its receipt.
"JOHN J. PERSHING,
"General, Commander-in-Chief, American
Expeditionary Forces.
"Official: ROBERT C. DAVIS, Adjutant General."
98 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
THEIR HOME COMING.
THE home coming of the first units of New Jersey
will always be remembered by the citizens of this
county who witnessed the event. The 114th Infantry
was the first to arrive in Newport News, Va., on May 6,
19 1 9, aboard the transport Madawaska, less the Third
Battalion Headquarters and Companies L, K, M, which
were left in France and arrived home a short time later.
The 1 14th was greeted at Newport News by the Camden
Reception Committee, the members of which were Mayor
Charles H. Ellis, Sheriff W. Penn Corson, Judge Frank
T. Lloyd, Wm. D. Sayrs, Jr., city draughtsman; James
H. Long, chief engineer of the Water Department; and
Charles F. Wise, member of the Board of Freeholders.
They went down the Chesapeake Bay on a tug and met
the transport. On its arrival in port the regiment
marched to Camp Stewart, a short distance outside of
Newport News, where it was officially welcomed by
Governor Walter E. Edge. In the Governor's party
were: Adjutant General Gilkyson, Colonel Myron W.
Robinson, Major Arthur Foran, Captain Benjamin
Hurd, State Treasurer William T. Read, State Comp-
troller Newton A. Bugbee. Lieutenant Colonel Harry
C. Kramer and Captain H. B. Stone, of Burlington, were
also in the party of welcoming delegations.
The regiment left Camp Stewart on May 12 and
reached Camden the following morning. Their arrival
was announced by the blowing of railroad and factory
whistles and the tolling of church bells. Thousands of
people rushed from their homes and factories to the line
of parade to welcome these heroes. They marched
through flag draped avenues as the people cheered wildly,
even broke from the sidewalks and hugged and kissed
them.
TOO CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
IOI
THEIR HOME COMING. IO3
Every city, town and hamlet in South Jersey was rep-
resented in the great throng which crowded the streets.
At the Court House they were greeted by the multitude
singing "Keep the Home Fires Burning". At the plants
of the Victor Talking Machine Company and Joseph
Campbell Company thousands of workmen and girls
cheered, hugged and showered the boys with confetti.
As they passed under the victory arch of the Ninth
Ward Republican Association on Broadway, above
Royden street, the employes of the J. B. Van Sciver
Company showered them with flowers, while the Liberty
Bell, tolled by the club in all its war drive campaigns,
rang out in unison with the bells of old St. John's Epis-
copal Church and Sts. Peter and Paul's Catholic Church.
At the 3d Regiment Armory the troops were dined
by the Camden County Chapter of the Red Cross. It
was a, wonderful sight to see these boys enjoy the big
meal with hundreds of relatives waiting to greet them
in the building. The scenes were touching as the boys
were re-united with their families once again.
The regiment was commanded by Colonel George
Williams when it reached Camden. Accompanying the
infantry was the 53d Pioneer Corps, in command of
Colonel B. S. Killion. The boys marched, wearing their
trench helmets and carrying rifles. They brought back
with them a grim visage of war and received a frantic
welcome from a loving and admiring people.
It was a public holiday. Schools closed together with
factories and business was suspended during the parade.
The parade was headed by James H. Long, chairman
of the parade committee. Mayor Ellis, members of City
Council, Victory Jubilee and Memorial Committee and
Board of Freeholders followed. Then came the boys.
There were three bands in line, the 1 I4th's own, Second
Battalion Band, New Jersey State Militia, and Camden
Battalion Band, State Militia Reserve.
104 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
The regiment left for Camp Dix that afternoon where
the boys were honorably discharged several days later.
This was the only regiment the city was able to honor
with a parade as a unit before demobilization, but the
other units were either welcomed at the port of debarka-
tion or at Camp Dix by committees, who distributed
candy and cigarettes among the boys.
The 3d Battalion Headquarters and Companies K,
L and M of the 114th Infantry and 112th Field Artil-
lery arrived at Newport News on May 20. The artil-
lery was aboard the transport Orizaba and the 114th on
the transport Powhatan. They were greeted by a com-
mittee headed by Mayor Ellis. The regiments were
sent to Camp Stewart. The balance of the 114th was
transferred to Camp Dix and demobilized. The 112th
Artillery was sent to Atlantic City for a parade and offi-
cial welcome on May 29. The trains were stopped at
Haddonfield enroute to the shore and candy, cigarettes
and flowers showered on them by members of the Red
Cross Chapter and hundreds of residents of the county.
The regiment was later demobilized at Camp Dix.
The transport Mexican docked at Brooklyn on May
22 with the first units of the 311th Infantry, including
the machine gun company, Companies D to M, field and
staff headquarters, medical detachment, supply company,
3d Battalion and ordance detachment. They were sent
to Camp Dix for demobilization.
The 104th Engineers arrived at Hoboken on May 22,
on the transport Manchuria, and were sent to Camp
Merritt. They were met by Robert J. D. Field and
Harry Pelouze, representing the Victory Jubilee and
Memorial Committee, and George W. Whyte, represent-
ing the Red Cross. Other 29th Division units aboard
the Manchuria were the 58th Infantry Brigade Head-
quarters, 104th Supply Train, 104th Sanitary Train,
104th Mobile Ordnance Repair Shop, 104th Train Head-
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
105
THEIR HOME COMING. IO7
quarters and Brigadier General Frank S. Cocheu, 58th
Artillery Brigade.
On May 25 the Camden Reception Committee joined
the Newark and Philadelphia Committees in welcoming
the 312th Infantry into this port on the transport Mont-
pelier by going down the Delaware river on a tug to
welcome returning heroes.
All these troops were demobilized at Camp Dix. The
104th Engineers paraded in Newark on May 26 and
the 311th Infantry in Trenton the same day. The trans-
port Europa arrived in Hoboken on May 26th with the
309th Machine Gun Battalion. The transport Otsego
brought home Companies A, B, C and D and Headquar-
ters and Medical detachment of the 78th Division
on May 26. The 111th Machine Gun Battalion arrived
in Hoboken on May 22 on the transport Iowan
and was sent to Camp Dix for demobilization. The
307th arid 308th Machine Gun Battalions and 309th
Artillery reached Camp Dix on May 13, arriving in
Hoboken on May 11. The 307th Field Artillery arrived
at Camp Dix May 14, having reached Hoboken a few
days before. The 308th Field Artillery arrived about the
same time. Part of the 309th Infantry reached Camp
Dix on June 4 and the balance arrived in Hoboken on
that date on the transport Chicago, with the 303d Sani-
tary Train and 303d Supply Train. The 349th Infantry,
colored troops, many of whom were from Camden
reached Hoboken in the early part of June and were
sent to Camp Dix for demobilization. The 303d Engi-
neers arrived on the transports Santa Anna and Santa
Lubia on June 6 and June 12.
108 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
HENRY B. WILSON
THE most distinguished citizen from Camden, who
served the nation in the Great War was Ad-
miral Henry B. Wilson, who commanded the American
fleet in French waters. He had served forty years in the
United States Navy when America entered the war. He
commanded a fleet that piloted more than one million
soldiers to France and that fleet never lost the life of an
American soldier, despite the frightfulness of the sub-
marine warfare conducted by the enemy. During the
war the fleet commanded by the Camden admiral moved
all the munitions and supplies used by the American
Army in France. Soldiers paralyzed from battle wounds
were rescued from transports that had been submarined.
Lives of sailors were lost but only in an effort to pre-
vent the enemy from taking the lives of American sol-
diers. Such was the record made by the branch of the
navy he commanded and this report was made personally
by this hero when he returned to Camden for the public
welcome on April 17, 19 19. Besides this wonderful
work his destroyers kept a constant vigilance on the seas,
sinking enemy submarines. The admiral's headquarters
were at Brest, France, and by means of radio sounders
the enemy wireless on their submarines were intercepted
at night and the movement of their ships ascertained with
the result that destroyers went in search for them and
sunk many of them.
Admiral Wilson returned to Camden on April 17 at
the invitation of the Victory Jubilee and Memorial Com-
mittee, but not until a special committee, the members of
which were James H. Long, James J. Scott, Rev. J. B.
McCloskey and Charles F. Wise, of Audubon, had
waited on him at his Washington home. The admiral
came from Washington by train and was met at Broad
CAMDKN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. IOO,
[Copyright by Wonfor,~\
ADMIRAL HENRY B. WILSON
Commander of American Fleet in French Waters during Great
War.
HENRY B. WILSON. Ill
street station by the Camden committee and taken to the
Bellvue-Stratford Hotel, Philadelphia, where he was
entertained, after which a receiption was given at the
Camden County Court House. An automobile parade
followed to his home at 345 Mount Vernon street. The
streets were lined with thousands of cheering people. At
the Ninth Ward Republican Association's arch flowers
were dropped on him and the pupils of the Broadway
public school sang patriotic songs while the bell in old St.
John's Episcopal Church was tolled by his brother-in-
law, Rev. John Hardenbrook Townsend, rector. At the
home of his mother he embraced her and kissed her and
a basket of flowers was presented to this good woman,
Mrs. Mary A. Wilson, who was then eighty-seven years
of age. The parade continued to the Mohican Club, near
Delair, where a planked shad dinner was served. The
speakers were Mayor Charles H. Ellis, toastmaster;
Admiral Charles F. Hughes, commandant of League Is-
land Navy Yard ; Admiral Carlos V. Brittain, who hailed
Admiral Wilson as the next full rank admiral of the
navy, and United States Senator David Baird.
That evening a public reception took place at Third
Regiment Armory. The admiral entered escorted by a
large detail of sailors. Fully 5,000 persons greeted him,
including the children of the public schools, massed in
the balcony. They rendered a program of patriotic
songs during the evening. Mayor Ellis was chairman and
an address was made by Prosecutor Charles A. Wolver-
ton, during which the admiral was presented with a
beautiful sword on behalf of the city and county.
The following telegram, which gives expression of the
esteem in which Admiral Wilson was held, was read at
the dinner and reception that evening:
"Baltimore, April 17, 1919.
"Mayor Ellis, Camden, N. J.
"I want to add my mite to the reception of your favorite son
to-day. At Brest, France, I saw a great deal of Admiral Wilson
112 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
and he was the most beloved man in France not only by his
own people but by the French. Admiral Wilson was so big, so
real that he could sit in the park talking and playing with little
orphan French children, or giving advice to an ordinary sailor
with the grace and ease of a master. Every sailor loves him and
not a word but of praise will ever be said of him. The Admiral
left behind in France a real remembrance of the great big real
American that he is, the biggest American that ever stepped on
the shore of Brittany. God bless him.
"MAJOR E. W. BIRDSALL,
"U. S. Army."
Admiral Henry B. Wilson was born at 269 Mount
Vernon street on February 25, 1861. His parents were
Mrs. Mary A. Wilson, 345 Mount Vernon street, and the
late Hon. Henry B. Wilson. His father was prominent
in politics during his career. He was a member of City
Council, New Jersey Assembly and was also postmaster
of the city. He was president of the Board of Educa-
tion at the time of his in 1898.
Vice Admiral Wilson attended the old Kaighn and
Fetters Schools during his boyhood. He entered Anna-
polis Naval Academy at the age of fifteen years and
graduated in 188 1. As a lieutenant commander he com-
manded the scout cruiser Chester. He was promoted
captain when he assumed command of the battleship
North Dakota. His next assignment was to command
the battleship Indiana. He came into national prom-
inence when he was named to command the dreadnaught
Pennsylvania when that ship was commissioned in 1914.
President Wilson promoted Captain Wilson rear ad-
miral in July, 19 1 7, when Admiral Sims called him to
command the American fleet in French waters. When
the new rear admiral reached Brest he was given the rank
of vice admiral by President Wilson.
That he did the job well is evidenced by the praise Vice
Admiral Wilson received from Secretary Josephus
Daniels. The admiral won the admiration of the French
Government for the efficiency of his command. After
HENRY B. WILSON. 113
the armistice was signed the admiral was stricken with
pneumonia and was desperately ill for several days. He
rallied and eventually recovered.
He was honored by President Wilson by being placed
in command of the convoy fleet for the steamer George
Washington on the President's first return fromthe peace
conference at Paris.
Before departing from France Admiral Wilson was
signally honored by the French Government. He was
presented with a handsome oil painting of himself, the
work of a French master. He also received a bronze bust
of himself and the school children of France presented
him with a magnificent brass vase.
Just before sailing for the United States the admiral
was advised by Secretary Daniels that he had been placed
in command of the American dreadnaught fleet and the
battleship New Mexico was designated as his flagship.
Upon reaching the United States his health was such
that he could not with his fleet to Guantanamo Bay,
Cuba, for maneuvers. He was granted a leave of ab-
sence to recuperate and he spent two weeks with his wife
and two children, Ruth and Henry B. Wilson, Jr., at
Washington.
On June 16, 19 19, the Navy Department divided the
American naval forces into two equal squadrons to be
known as the Atlantic and Pacific fleets. Vice Admiral
Wilson was placed in command of the Atlantic fleet
with the full rank of Admiral. On June 25 he was deco-
rated at Washington by Captain Saint Seine, French
naval attache, assisted by Secretary of the Navy Jo c ephus
Daniels, on behalf of the French Government with the
Cross of Grand Officers of Legion of Honor, the second
highest honor that can be bestowed in this order.
114 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
PROMINENT MEN
Representatives
CAMDEN county was fortunate in having represen-
tatives in both branches of Congress during the
Great War, Hon. David Baird, who represented the State
of New Jersey together with Senator Joseph S. Freling-
huysen in the United States Senate and William J.
Browning, representative from the First Congressional
District, comprising Camden, Gloucester and Salem
counties.
Upon the death of Senator William Hughes during the
war, Senator Baird was appointed by Governor Walter
E. Edge on February 22, 19 18, to fill the vacancy, and he
took the oath of office on March 7, that year, serving
until the following general election in November, when
he was elected to finish the unexpired term of Mr.
Hughes.
Although a life long Republican, Mr. Baird voted for
every measure advocated by President Woodrow Wil-
son, deemed essential to win the war, even to the Over-
man Bill, which gave the President unlimited powers.
Mr. Browning has been a member of Congress since
March 4, 191 1, and like Mr. Baird, supported every
measure advocated by the Administration advanced as
necessary to bring victory to the allies regardless of per-
sonal views. Both Senator Baird and Representative
Browning devoted much of their time at Washington as-
sisting dependents of men in the service to secure allot-
ments from the War Risk Bureau and the War Depart-
ment.
Lieutenant Colonel Harry C. Kramer
While Camden performed every obligation imposed
upon her by the nation in the raising of troops, the sale
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. II5
[Photo by Wonfor.l
HON. DAVID BAIRD
United States Senator from New Jersey
PROMINENT MEN. \\J
of Liberty Bonds, the contributions to the many or-
ganizations which were each carrying its burden in the
war, she had another and a peculiar part in the coun-
try's defense, which probably is not equalled by any other
city in the United States, and that was the prominence
which her sons took in the administration of the work
of the Provost Marshal General's office during the war.
It is historical that the volunteer system of the United
States failed the country when it called for men to fill
its armies, and on May 18, 19 17, Congress passed a law
known as the Selective Service Act, the administration of
which was to prove one of the greatest triumphs of the
struggle. This law provided for the making of regula-
tions by the President which were to set in motion the
selection of men for the battle line. Its success was
doubted by even the optimistic; its failure was gloomily
foreboded by men whose judgment was deemed sound;
it was almost revolutionary in its character.
One of the first men to be chosen in the United States
to place this great law in operation was Harry C.
Kramer, of Camden. At that time he was the adjutant
general of the Second Brigade of New Jersey, with the
rank of major. His brigade was not a complete unit and
he was on the unassigned list and therefore not subject
to call. He was ordered to report to TrentOM by Ad-
jutant General Charles Barber and at once closed up
his affairs and went into the service. He immediately
made a careful study of the law and regulations and or-
ganized the State so successfully that it was among the
first in the entire Union to report "ready" with the quota
assigned to it of 20,665 soldiers. As soon as this work
was completed he was ordered to Washington by Major
General Enoch H. Crowder, Provost Marshal General^
and was there appointed as one of a committee of three
officers who were charged with the preparation of an
entire new set of regulations, for the purpose of perfect-
ing the selective service principles. This commitcee
I l8 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
labored day and night for six weeks and the result of its
work was the creation of the questionaire system and
the selective service regulations, which undoubtedly
presented to the world the most scientific method of rais-
ing armies which has ever been produced. In speaking
of this system, General Crowder, in his report to the
Secretary of War, said: "It is not too much to say that
the present classification systems offers possibilities that
have never been attained by any other nation in the his-
tory of war."
General Crowder's words were almost a prophecy.
The great American army seemed to grow by magic.
From a beginning of 60,000 men it rose to the enormous
number of four million men within one year from the
time the selective service principle was enforced, and
the system was so complete that the American army could
have been extended to the almost inconceivable number
of twenty-five million men without much more effort.
Major Kramer accepted a reduction in rank when he
was ordered to Washington, and began his career in the
nation's capital as a captain. Within a few weeks he
was promoted to a major and shortly after the splendid
successes which attended his work were observed, he was
made a lieutenant colonel, and it is now learned that he
would have been made a full colonel in a few weeks
had the war not abruptly ended.
During the period of his connection with the Provost
Marshal General's office, he was the chief disbursing of-
ficer, executive officer and chief of the division of inspec-
tion and investigations, which latter division had greatly
to do with the department's efficiency throughout the
country.
Prior to being called by Adjutant General Barber to
Trenton, Colonel Kramer organized the Camden com-
pany of engineers, which later became Company B, 104th
Engineers and became famous in France during the Ar-
gonne Forest battle. After the armistice was signed Col-
120 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
I.IKl'TKXAXT COUKXKL HARRY C. KRAMER
CAMDEX COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. 121
[Photo by Wonfor,]
MAJOR WINFIELD S.
PRICE
PROMINENT MEN. 123
onel Kramer was sent on a tour of inspection duty in
Porto Rico, and upon completion of this task was ap-
pointed to the General Clemency Board of the army which
equalized court martial sentences, and reduced them to a
peace time basis.
Major Winfield S. Price
While in the capacity of executive officer, Colonel
Kramer surrounded himself with many of the ablest of-
ficers in the United States Army, and among them were
two other Camden men, who rendered distinguished ser-
vice during the war. One of these men was Major Win-
field S. Price, formerly commander of the First Bat-
talion, 114th Infantry, who, at the request of Colonel
Kramer, was detached from his battalion and charged
with the great duty of organizing the vast selective ser-
vice system upon a sound, financial basis, and administer-
ing the affairs of the department which dealt with che
five thousand local boards and 156 district boards, as well
as the headquarters of 49 States and territories. Major
Price disbursed the enormous total of approximately
$36,000,000.00 and he performed his work in such a way
as to challenge the admiration of all officers and civilians
with whom he came in contact. At the same time of the
writing of this history, Major Price is still on duty in
Washington, closing up the multitude of details which
surrounded the administration of his office. He is the
last officer to remain on duty, of the magnificent body of
men which composed the organization of the Provost
Marshal General's office, in the entire United States.
Major Price's success in the administration of this office
marks him as one of the outstanding figures of the ad-
ministration of the war in Washington.
124 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
Major Harold E. Stephenson.
No less in splendid achievement was the work of Major
Harold E. Stephenson,who was the chief of the Mobiliza-
tion Division of the Provost Marshal General's office.
Major Stephenson, at the beginning of the war, offered
his services to the Government. He was rejected for
slight physical defects. Shortly after Colonel Kramer
went to Washington, it became apparent that there must
be created in this vast department, a division of mobili-
zation, which must be headed by a man highly skilled in
organization; that there must be kept at all times a min-
ute and accurate record of the number of men furnished
by each local board throughout the United States, in
response to the calls from Washington that the Govern-
ment must know instantly how many of those men were
rejected by the army officers in camps, and what balance
was due from each board. Major Stephenson, then the
file expert of the Pennsylvania Railroad, was summoned
to Washington, to advise the department upon that sub-
ject. His keenness of perception, his quick grasp of the
details, impressed all who met him, in such a manner that
General Crowder was requested to commission him in his
department and to give him charge of this special work.
This was done, and Captain Stephenson found himself
in the midst of one of the greatest problems of the war.
He quickly mastered every detail of the work and became
so expert that he was an authority to whom the General
Staff constantly referred during the trying days of the
spring and summer of 1918, as to the strength of the man
power of the United States in the various classes. Gen-
eral Crowder quickly elevated him to the rank of major,
in order that he might be on equal terms with the higher
officers with whom he came in constant contact. Major
Stephenson performed a marvelous task, Colonel Kramer
frequently referring to him as having completed one of
the most gigantic tasks which were presented to any in-
126 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
|< opyright hv Harris &■ Swing.']
M \.IOR HAROLD E. STEPHENSON
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. 1 27
IP ho to bv Won for.]
LIEUTEXAXT-COLONEL RALPH W. E. DONGES
PROMINENT MEN. 120,
dividual in Washington. He frequently worked twenty
hours out of the twenty- four ; he required the utmost de-
votion to duty on the part of his subordinates, and was
enabled by his wonderful executive ability to exact from
all of his subordinates the finest kind of service. In the
years to come, Major Stephenson's work will stand out
more brightly and due recognition will doubtless be given
to him.
After the close of the war Major Stephenson accom-
panied Major General Crowder to Cuba, where the latter
undertook the reorganization of the elective system of
that island. At the date of the writing of this history
Major Stephenson has been given the entire charge of the
work and is distinguishing himself by the speed and ac-
curacy with which he is accomplishing his great task.
There were approximately nine great divisions of the
work of building America's army. From the above re-
cital it will be seen that officers from Camden county
headed three of the most important of all these divi-
sions, and Camden's part in the organization of Amer-
ica's man power is therefore most remarkable and
unusual.
Ralph W. E. Donges
Lieutenant Colonel Ralph W. E. Donges was chair-
man of Camden City Draft Board, No. 2, from May 29,
1917, until May 1, 1918, as well as chairman of the Na-
tional Guard Committee and a member of the Executive
Committee of the Camden Public Safety Committee. He
was also a member of a special war committee of five of
the National Association of Public Utility Commis-
sioners of the United States, dealing with utility prob-
lems of the country growing out of the war and making
recommendations for promoting efficiency of utilities in
war work.
I3O CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
In February, 19 18, he became a member of the plan-
ning staff of Major General George W. Goethals, quar-
termaster general, and assistant chief of staff. From
March to May, Colonel Donges was assistant chief of
administration in the office of General Goethals, and as
such was director of the Purchase, Storage and Traffic
Division of the General Staff.
Up until this time Mr. Donges retained his post as
president of the Public Utility Commission of New Jer-
sey, but upon accepting a commission in the United
States Army as lieutenant colonel in May, 19 18, he re-
signed his post on the Utility Commission and became a
member of the War Department's Board of Appraisers,
attached to the Purchase, Storage and Traffic Division
of the General Staff.
This board was a quasi-judicial body charged with the
duty of conducting proceedings and making awards for
compensation for property of every character comman-
deered, or produced under compulsory process, for the
War Department. These cases covered all kinds of prop-
erty from the taking of small parcels of real estate to the
taking of large, valuable areas and large manufacturing
plants, as well as the compulsory production of many mil-
lions of dollars of war materials, the price for which this
board established. The total awarded by this board ag-
gregated many millions of dollars, there being several
thousand cases heard, and awards in individual cases at
times amounting to many millions. During the incum-
bency of Colonel Donges, due to the volume of work, the
membership of the board was increased from three to
eleven members. Colonel Donges personally conducted
trials and has written opinions in more than 250 cases
before the Board of Appraisers.
11,2 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
[Photo by U'onfoK.'i
DR. DANIEL STROCK
Chairman of Camden County Chapter American
Red Cross
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. 1 33
RED CROSS
CAMDEN County Chapter of the American Red
Cross was organized February 19, 1917. It was
the logical follower of the "Preparedness League" which
had been previously formed under the auspices of Nassau
Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution.
When it was found the Red Cross already had chan-
nels of communication and a Government connection es-
tablished, the Preparedness League decided to devote
its energies to the same work under the new name.
A number of interested citizens were accordingly in-
vited to meet on February 19th at the Camden County
Court House, where the organization was launched, the
Rev. Rudolph E. Brestell, presiding. A large American
flag was presented by the Nassau Chapter, D. A. R., in
token of their loyalty and readiness to serve, by Miss
Elizabeth Cooper Reeve, and their regent also gave from
the Camden County Preparedness League a large Inter-
national Red Cross flag. Headquarters were established
at Room 107, Temple Building.
Officers were elected as follows : Dr. Daniel Strock,
chairman ; former Judge C. V. D. Joline, vice chairman ;
Millwood Truscott, secretary, and George J. Bergen,
treasurer. Mrs. E. S. Woodward was appointed chair-
man of hospital supplies, but shortly resigned, and Mrs.
John A. Mather, Jr., was appointed to fill her place. Miss
E. C. Reeve was made chairman of the purchasing
committee.
The balance of the funds in the treasury of the Pre-
paredness League, amounting to two hundred dollars,
was officially turned over to the treasurer of the Camden
County Chapter. The association remained in the Tem-
ple Building until August, 19 17, when the old Trinity
134 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
Baptist Church on Fifth street above Market was offered
for the use of the chapter.
Almost concurrent with the organizing of the chapter
was the forming of branches in the county. Beside the
chairman and secretary Miss E. C. Reeves and Mrs. W.
B. M. Burrell were most efficient in effecting these or-
ganizations. Among the first were Haddonfield, Mer-
chantville, Collingswood, Magnolia and Delair.
In October, 19 17, Camden City Branch was given its
charter; meanwhile the work was done through the
church units, whose women responded nobly.
On March 1, 19 17, was held the first Branch Advisory
Council, consisting of the chairman of surgical dressings
and the chairman of hospital supplies of the different
branches. Later the chairman of knitting was added to the
council. In Camden city the chairmen of the denomina-
tions were also on this committee until the City Branch
was formed.
These meetings were held twice in the month and were
under the direction of Mrs. Mather, who was first ap-
pointed chairman of hospital supplies and surgical dress-
ings and later director of the production department.
Miss E. C. Reeve acted as secretary.
As a part of this department a stock department was
established for the distribution of materials, with Miss
Estelle E. Moore as chairman. Later Mrs. H. N.
Scheirer became accountant and Miss Bessie Lee Stock
recorder.
In the later part of June Mrs. Mather called for fin-
ished supplies to be sent in, and through the kind-
ness of St. Paul's P. E. Church their parish building was
used for the packing. Bandages, muslin and gauze, com-
presses of all sizes, drains, wipes, pads of all sorts, in-
deed surgical dressings of all types began to pour in upon
the hastily improvised packing committee. Hospital sup-
plies, sheets, towels, cases, convalescent robes, bed shirts,
came in autos and in arms, package after package, until
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. 135
[Photo by Won for.}
GEORGE W. WHYTE
Chairman Camden City Branch, Camden County Chapter,
American Red Cross
RED CROSS. 137
the big rooms were crowded to their limit. From Camden
City where the work was done by the church units came
bundle after bundle of beautiful work. The different
Presbyterian, Episcopal, Roman Catholic, Baptist and
Methodist units were all working hard for the same good
cause, the comfort of our boys, and the alleviating of suf-
fering, by carefully made surgical dressings and hospital
supplies.
Inspected under the supervision of Mrs. Stanley, of
Collingswood, cases of surgical dressings were packed
and shipped by the rest of the committee. Mrs. Whyte,
Miss Reeve, Mrs. Reed, Mrs. James, Mrs. Mather, Mrs.
Ware, Mrs. Finley, Mrs. Borton and Mrs. Carpenter
rushed the packing of sheets, pillow cases, convalescent
robes, bed shirts and etc., until finally on July 14, 1917,
the first shipment from the chapter headquarters was
made and went out in charge of the chapter shipper,
Theodore A. Reed, traffic manager of the Victor Talk-
ing Machine Company.
The Haddonfield, Collingswood and Merchantville
Branches each made a shipment in the later part of June
a little ahead of the first general shipment. During the
summer, Mrs. Carson with the aid of some teachers and
scholars made and sent to headquarters 21Q little gar-
ments to be sent abroad to the suffering refugees.
In August of 1 9 17 came the call for thousands of wool
garments, consequently the wool or knitting committee
was formed, consisting of Mrs. Ware, Mrs. Clair and
Mrs. S. R. Hangar in charge of its distribution.
The chapter saw that each man from Camden county,
in so far as they could reach them, drafted or enlisted
men of the army and navy, received the little chapter
comfort kit.
As the work grew larger it became necessary to sys-
tematize and standardize the work and Mrs. Mather was
put in charge also of the surgical dressings work and in
I38 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
all ten branches opened special workrooms for this
purpose.
Haddonfield under Miss Kay's able management,
Merchantville capably conducted by Mrs. Finley, in Col-
lingswood Mrs. Stanley had charge, in Gloucester Miss
E. Stiles saw to the care of the surgical rooms, in Black-
wood under Mrs. Kirkland many good dressings were
made ; Westmont guided by Miss Bleakley cut and folded
quantities of gauze; little Delair with Mrs. Zulich in
charge sent box after box of dressings to chapter head-
quarters. West Collingswood, too, gave its full quota
of good work and Haddon Heights had also efficient and
capable instructors in care of this most important branch
of work. Camden city for some months made the sur-
gical dressings in carefully prepared rooms in the
churches but later these quarters were discontinued as
this was deemed best to use the big well lighted rooms
at the new headquarters, 612 Cooper street, where great
quantities of standard and special dressings were made.
Classes were held for instructors, one by Miss Margaret
Davis, a qualified Red Cross nurse, and three classes in-
structed by Mrs. John R. Mather, Jr., supervisor of sur-
gical dressings for the county, by Miss E. C. Reeve, Mrs.
Morse Archer and Mrs. Amos qualified instructors. By
means of these classes all surgical work was done under
the supervision of those who had passed examinations
and had experience in the proper handling of this phase
of Red Cross work. Just as the Red Cross was settling
and had great plans for utilizing Trinity Baptist Church,
it was announced it had been sold and must move.
The moving this time was a matter of some moment, but
after days of hard work the packing and stock commit-
tees had belongings in cases and bundles ready for re-
moval to the new headquarters, the Stockton house at
612 Cooper street, most generously loaned by the heirs
to the organization for the duration of the war.
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
139
RED CROSS. 141
In November, 19 18, the Camden City Branch moved
to commodious quarters in the old Cooper Library build-
ing which was left standing by the city for their occu-
pation until the war should cease.
In December of 191 7 it was found necessary to have
a means of reaching the branches for the delivery and
return of supplies and a Chapter Motor Corps was es-
tablished under the direction of the director of Women
Bureau, Mrs. John A. Mather, Jr. It rapidly grew to
be a wonderfully servicable force and its organizer, J.
Sidney Mather, was made chairman by the executive
board February 6, 19 18.
The corps did splendid work and used their cars free-
ly. During the war, army and navy officers, secret service
men, hospitals all received their services as well as
the officers of the chapter.
In October, 19 18, the executive board authorized the
purchase of an ambulance motor truck, and the delivery
of goods has been greatly facilitated.
During the epidemic of influenza, Camden county's
work was splendid, nearly every branch had more or
less of the treacherous disease to combat. After the
Emergency Hospital was established in Battery B Armory
the Red Cross furnished the greater part of the sheets,
pillow cases, etc., as well as most of the gauze masks
worn by the workers as a protection. Many of these
were also made at the Red Cross workrooms at the re-
quest of the hospitals. The chapter also provided cases
of fruit, jellies, soup and some other delicacies for those
who needed these things. More than fifty women were
secured, who went into the homes of those who could
not get nurses. In some instances Red Cross volunteers
even had to conduct funeral services and bury the dead.
Many of the women at headquarters, after a dav's
work packing and shipping, for some of the work had to
go steadily on, took materials home to hem or model into
garments for the hospitals. The headquarters at 612
142
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
Cooper street was open day and night in order to attend
the emergency cases reported to them.
In September, 19 18, commenced the "Used Clothing
Campaign" for the Belgians, under the following com-
mittees: Robert J. D. Fields, chairman; William D.
Sayrs, Jr., Jas. H. Long, Charles Laib, William D. Van-
naman and Dr. H. H. Davis. Twenty-tons of clothing
was collected by this able committee and shipped to New
York division headquarters.
On June, 8 1918, George J. Bergen, treasurer, was
killed by a train at Haddonfield, and Millwood Truscott
became treasurer as well as secretary. The officers in
19 18 and 19 1 9 were as follows:
Dr. Daniel Strock, Chairman
George Carr, Vice Chairman Millwood Truscott, Secretary and Treasurer
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Mrs. J. A. Mather, Jr.
Miss E. C. Reeve
Miss E. Moore
Judge F. T. Eloyd
P. H. Harding
David B. Jester
Chas. S. Boyer
Mrs. Robt. Garrett
Miss Stella Weeks
Mrs. T. Stites
Mrs. E. W. Delacroix
Mrs. Geo. W. Whyte
Mrs. W. F. Reber
Theodore A. Reed
Miss A. R. Kay
William D. Sayrs, Jr.
Ashland Branch
Mrs. E. W. Atkinson, Chairman
Mrs. Oscar Brown, Secretary
Mrs. E. T. Hamilton, Treasurer
Audubon Branch
Charles F. Wise, Chairman
Mrs. H. Nelson Craig, Secretary
G. C. Henderson, Treasurer
Berlin Branch
Mrs. F. O. Stem, Chairman
Mrs. Wm. Wcscott, Secretary
J. M. Evans, Treasurer
Braddock Auxiliary
Mrs. C. H. Croft, Chairman
Mrs. O. J. Croft, Secretary
Mrs. H, J. Brimfield, Treasurer
Chews Branch
Mrs. Chas. Severns, Chairman
Mrs. W. S. Entrikin, Secretary
Mrs. James Stetser, Treasurer
Collingswood Branch.
Dr. E. S. Sheldon, Chairman
Mrs. B. I. Bailey, Secretary
E. B. Jillard, Treasurer
Atco Branch
Mrs. H. Wyle, Chairman
John H. Henderson, Secretary
Mrs. T. Schleinkofer, Treasurer
Barrington Branch.
Mrs. J. H. Johnson, Chairman
Mrs. B. Staffeldt, Secretary
Mrs. H. K. Ball, Treasurer
Blackwood Branch
Dr. J. E. Hurff, Chairman
E. E. Wilson, Secretary
J. Mathias, Treasurer
Camden City Branch
George W. Whyte, Chairman
Norman B. Stinson, Secretary
F. Wayland Potter, Treasurer
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. I43
RED CROSS.
145
Clementon Branch
Mrs. Fred Nolte, Chairman
Mrs. Alfred Wright, Secretary
Mrs. Edw. Jaggard, Treasurer
Delair Branch
Mrs. M. G. Sexton, Chairman
Mrs. M. E. Hollinshed, Secretary
Mrs. Elizabeth Goll, Treasurer
Gibbsboro Branch
Mrs. B. W. Casselberry, Chairman
Miss Mary Wilson, Secretary
A. Fulleylove, Treasurer
Haddonfield Branch
Mrs. E. Mercier, Chairman
Miss b. Smitheman, Secretary
Lawrence Appleton, Treasurer
Jordantown Auxiliary
Miss Sallie Robinson, Chairman
Bessie Quan, Secretary
Ellen Dorsey, Treasurer
Lawnside Branch
.Mrs. Louis J. Allen, Chairman
Sadie Parks, Secretary
Mary A. Moore, Treasurer
MerchantvillE Branch
E. P. Challenger, Chairman
Mrs. 'L. H. McCool, Secretary
E. C. Jefferis, Treasurer
Oaklyn Branch
Miss A. M. Ludlow, Chairman
Miss E. May Avil, Secretary
Mrs. H. T. Justice, Treasurer
Stratford Auxiliary
Mrs. Charles C. Jaggard, Chairman
Mrs. Harry Reis, Secretary
Mrs. L. L. Belding, Treasurer
Westmont Branch
Mrs. Wm. Brice, Chairman
Miss Florence Brown, Secretary
Mrs. Frank M. Walters, Treasurer
Gloucester Branch
Chas. H. Fowler, Chairman
Miss E. L. Powell, Secretary
J. F. Lenny, Treasurer
Haddon Heights Branch
Mrs. Wm. Carpenter, Chairman
Mrs. R. F. Edwards, Secretary
Frank Reber, Treasurer
Laurel Springs Branch
Miss E. H. Schubert, Chairman
Mrs. M. Wetherill, Secretary
Mrs. M. Hughes, Treasurer
Magnolia Branch
Miss Jean MacGarvie, Chairman
Marion Galloway, Secretary
C. M. Watson, Treasurer
Mt. Ephraim Branch
Miss Mary Bray, Chairman
Thcs. Bray, Secretary & Treasurer
Pensauken Branch
Chas. DuBree, Chairman
Mrs. E. Barrington, Secretary
Mrs. J. Adams, Treasurer
West Colli ngs wood Branch
George Carr, Chairman
Mrs. J. Williams, Secretary
Mrs. J. Pancoast, Treasurer
Woodlynne Branch
Mrs. Wm. Feaster, Chairman
Etta L. Bossert, Secretary
Mrys. George Ryden, Treasurer
The report of the secretary at the meeting in 1917
showed the membership of the chapter to be 11,764. The
total membership on October 1, 19 18, was 24,439. The
Christmas Drive brought a total of 19,355, the balance
of 5,024 coming through the regular channels. Judge
Frank T. Lloyd was chairman of the campaign com-
mittee.
I46 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
The report of the chairman of women's work shows
a total for 1918 of $46,079 worth of raw materials
handled and 194,185 articles produced, with raw ma-
terials on hand to value of $6,035.65.
The recapitulation of the report submitted by the sev-
eral branches show total receipts from donations and
miscellaneous sources of $41,192.32, and disbursements
for materials and miscellaneous expenses of $22,171.97.
The total cash paid into the Second War Fund is $225,-
792.88, of which the county chapter got a rebate of 25
per cent., the amount received being $56,448.22. James
J. Scott was chairman.
Mrs. George J. Gleason was chairman of a committee
of Red Cross workers who raised sufficient funds at
Christmas time in 1917 to send two hundred and fifty
gifts to soldiers across the seas.
The cartons sent overseas at Christmas, 1918, were in
charge of H. R. Staley, assisted by Mrs. N. Bottomley,
Mrs. E. G. Hummell, Mrs. E. C. Pechin, Mrs. L. P. Reed,
Mrs. Shoemaker, Mrs. Hoffman, Miss B. Schellenger,
Miss Sara Webster, Miss E. Dorn, Miss M. Lukens. Be-
tween 2,500 and 3,000 cartons were weighed and shipped
to gladden the hearts of the boys who could not yet
come home, though peace was on its way.
Sixteen thousand children of the public schools be-
came members of the Junior Red Cross by contributing
a membership fee of twenty-five cents. These children
produced a total of 4,977 garments.
The first Red Cross War Fund Campaign opened on
June 18, 1917, with Charles H. Harrington as director
and the quota was $150,000. This was oversubscribed
by $25,000.
When the 114th Infantry returned home on May 13,
1919, the canteen workers, under the leadership of Mrs.
Francis F. Patterson provided a fine breakfast for the
boys at Third Regiment Armory. Three hundred Red
Cross workers served the meal besides assisting in the
preparation of it.
I48 CAMDEN COUNTY IX T H R GREAT WAR.
[Copyright by Harris & Bo
HON. WALTER E. EDGE
Governor of New Jersey
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. I49
HOME DEFENSES
State Militia
FOLLOWING the federalization of the National
Guard of the State in July, 19 17, Governor Walter
E. Edge invited three men from each county in the
State to meet him in conference at Sea Girt on August
8, 19 1 7, to discuss means for affording an available force
of troops for the protection of any part of the State in
the event of disorder. It was decided to form a new
State Militia to replace the National Guard. This
county was represented at the conference by County
Clerk Francis F. Patterson, Captain Mahlon F. Ivins and
Charles L. Van Fossen. These three men were instruct-
ed to recruit a company of two hundred men in Camden
county.
With the assistance of automobiles furnished by Wil-
liam C. Gerhard and George R. Harvey, of Merchant-
ville, every town in the county was visited within the
next ten days by Captain Ivins and Mr. Van Fossen.
and on August 24 ninety-two men reported at the Third
Regiment Armory for medical examination. The medi-
cal examiners were Drs. Joseph D. Lawrence and Joseph
Roberts. On the same evening a telegram from the ad-
jutant general instructed the committee to reduce the
county's quota to one hundred men.
The company was mustered in on August 28 by Major
Harry C. Kramer and ninety-nine men were sworn in.
This was the first militia company to be mustered into
service in the United States and to be reported to the
State and Federal authorities for duty. At an election
held the same evening the following officers were chosen :
Captain, Mahlon F. Ivins; First Lieutenant "Rirton S.
Muir; Second Lieutenant, William C. Gerhard.
I50 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
The company was ordered to Sea Girt on September
5 for rifle practice and was complimented by Governor
Edge during his review of the new company. The com-
pany was inspected by Major H. P. Morehead, battalion
commander, in December and was rated one hundred
per cent.
The Second Battalion Sanitary Unit was recruited and
Dr. Joseph D. Lawrence was placed in command with
the rank of captain. The Imperial Band, of Collings-
wood, tendered its services to the State and the band
was recruited as the Second Battalion Band. Sergeant
James Young was conductor.
The Camden company became known as Company A,
Second Battalion, New Jersey State Militia. It was
ordered to Sea Girt again on June 30, 19 18, for ten days
encampment. Officers and non-commission officers at-
tended instructions at Sea Girt in June prior to the an-
nual encampment.
Captain Ivins resigned to become major of the Sec-
ond New Jersey Field Artillery but was later re-assigned
to command Company A, following the encampment. He
resigned in the fall of 1918 to accept a commission as
captain in the Ordnance Deparment, United States
Army, and at an election in October, First Lieutenant
Barton S. Muir was elected captain ; Second Lieutenant
William C. Gerhard first lieutenant, and Sergeant Allen
H. Robinson second lieutenant. Charles L. Van Fossen,
one of the two organizers of the company, was com-
missioned first lieutenant of the Second New Jersey
Field Artillery. He was later promoted to captain and
assigned to Headquarters Company located in Camden.
Company A appeared in a number of war drive
parades. The most of the militiamen were married
with dependent families, willing to protect homes and
firesides while the troops were abroad. Company A
went to Sea Girt again on July 20, 1919, for a week's
HOME DEFENSES. 151
encampment and the officers training camp was held
from July 6 to 12.
Second Field Artillery
After the First New Jersey Field Artillery had been
called into service by the War Department Governor
Edge was instructed to have recruited an additional ar-
tillery regiment in New Jersey with the result that the
Second Field Artillery came into existence. The recruit-
ing began in this county on August 25, 1917, with First
Lieutenant S. Raymond Dobbs in charge. Lieutenant
Dobbs was promoted captain and placed in command of
Headquarters Company located in Camden with head-
quarters at Battery B Armory. The regiment was
federalized on December 13, 1917, and was ordered to
Camp McClellan. Then something happened in the
plans of the War Department and the order was can-
celled. The regiment was never summoned again, al-
though repeated efforts were made by Governor Edge
to have it mustered into the regular service. First Lieu-
tenant Charles L. Van Fossen was placed in command
of Headquarters Company upon retirement of Captain
Dobbs. He was later promoted captain. The company
was mustered out of service April 18, 19 19.
Home Guard
After America entered the war and the Eddystone
plant was evidently destroyed by incendiaries with such
terrible loss of life, the Government deemed it necessary
that each community provide its own protection, so Home
Guards were organized subject to the call of the mayor
of the community in which these units were formed.
When the organization call came hundreds of men vol-
unteered, many of them as old as sixty-five years.
T52 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
Camden set apart April 17, 19 17, as registration day.
Sheriff Joshua C. Haines was chairman of the Home
Guards Committee of the Public Safety Committee and
perfected an organization for the registration. In Cam-
den 2,040 men enrolled in the thirteen wards and sev-
eral companies were organized. Gloucester City,
Haddon Heights, Westmont and Haddonfield formed
companies while Merchantville formed a battalion.
The Gloucester City company was commanded by
Captain Harry F. Green and Haddon Heights company
by Captain William C. Carpenter. Merchantville had
three companies and Pensauken township one. They
united to form a battalion under Major John Mickle.
The company commanders were : Company A, Captain
Mahlon F. Ivins; Company B, Captain William H. Fra-
zee ; Company C, Captain Charles Dickinson ; Com-
pany D, Captain John Annis ; battalion Adjutant, First
Lieutenant Charles G. Keene; supply officer, Second
Lieutenant Milton Vail. Gloucester and part of Mer-
chantville companies became part of the New Jersey
Militia when Company A was organized in Camden.
A Home Guard company was organized at Collings-
wood by Barton S. Muir and these officers were elected :
Captain, Charles Thomas; first lieutenant, Barton S.
Muir; second lieutenant, Albert E. Ingram. The com-
pany disbanded when the State Militia came into exis-
tence, the majority of the Collingswood company joining
the new State organization. Lieutenant Muir was elect-
ed first lieutenant of Company A, of Camden, on the
night that unit was organized and mustered in.
The companies drilled with broom sticks at first. Then
riot clubs were secured. Merchantville and Haddon
Heights furnished arms for their companies by popular
subscription. The guards sought recognition from the
State and permission to drill in armories, which was
granted about six months later. In the fall of
T9T7 the guards became known as the State Militia Re-
HOME DEFENSES. 153
serve. They were not liable to duty outside of the com-
munity in which they were organized but could volun-
teer their services to the State in case of necessity.
Camden Battalion
Companies were organized in every ward in the city.
In fact there were two companies in some wards, but the
slowness of the State department in equipping the men
caused them to lose heart after they drilled on the hot
streets with broom sticks during the summer of 1917,
and the companies gradually dwindled away until there
were but enough men to make up four full companies
throughout the city.
When the State finally recognized the Home Guard
units Camden organized a battalion. The Camden Bat-
talion was formally recognized and accepted by the
State on November 17, 19 17. The battalion was uni-
formed and equipped by the City of Camden. The first
to command this body was Major Edward C. Auster-
muhl, who later resigned to enter the service of the Gov-
ernment. The board of officers then elected, and the
Governor commissioned Captain John H. Andrus as
major of the Camden Battalion.
Two hundred and seventy-seven officers and men com-
prised the command of Major Andrus with headquarters
in the Third Regiment Armory. The battalion took part
in each of the Liberty Loan campaigns and in the drives
conducted by the Red Cross, Knights of Columbus,
Young Men's Christian Association, et al. During the
influenza epidemic an Emergency Hospital was estab-
lished at the Armory of Battery "B," in charge of a
committee from City Council. Unable to employ suffi-
cient help, Mayor Ellis called on the State Militia Re-
serve. While the hospital was in service one hundred
and ten men of the Battalion were on duty twelve hours
each and performed every task assigned them most will-
154 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
ingly. Aside from their hospital duties, men of the
Battalion were at various times assigned to go to private
homes to assist the nurses in restraining delirious
patients.
On May i, 1919, when anarchist and Bolshevist sym-
pathizers had prepared a May Day celebration against
organized government, Mayor Ellis called two companies
of the Battalion to Third Regiment Armory where they
were held in reserve to aid the Police Department should
the situation become alarming. Their services were not
needed, however, during the day.
The officers of the organization follow : Major J. H.
Andrus, First Lieutenant Charles Stuart Straw, ad-
jutant; Second Lieutenant Walter M. Morris, supply
officer. Company A — Captain C. F. Hettinger, First
Lieutenant Benjamin Abrams, Second Lieutenant H. F.
Hippenstiel. Company B — Captain M. J. Paxson, First
Lieutenant Clinton I. Evans, Second Lieutenant S. W.
Wilson. Company C — Captain H. H. Taney, First
Lieutenant Horace Morrison, Second Lieutenant Amos
Neilly. Company D — Captain Frank Parker, First
Lieutenant A. P. Saumenig, Second Lieutenant J.
Hobart Condit.
156
CAMDEN COUNTY TNT THE GREAT WAR.
U'hoto by Won/, r.]
MAYOR CHAvS. 11. ELLIS
Chairman of Camden Public Safety Committee and Victory-
Jubilee and Memorial Committee
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. 1 57
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
AT the outbreak of the war it was obvious that each
community in the country must protect itself
against plots to overthrow the American Government,
to blow up munition plants, such had been done at Eddy-
stone, Pa., when hundreds were killed and injured, and
to suppress all attempts at disorder on the part of pro-
German sympathizers, and the result was that public
safety committees were appointed in each State with
sub-committees in each municipality. This State was
organized by Governor Walter E. Edge, who called a
meeting of seven hundred mayors of cities in the State
on March 28, 1917. The governors of the States of the
Union had previously held a conference with the War
Department at Washington. These committeees later
became known as Councils of Defense. There was a
National Council of Defense and a council in each
State and one in each city.
On March 27, 19 17, Mayor Ellis named the Camden
Public Safety Committee with a membership of two hun-
dred and seventy-five members, and the first meeting took
place in the old Lyon Tabernacle at Twelfth and Federal
streets on the following evening at which time the fol-
lowing officers were elected: Mayor Charles H. Ellis,
president; Dr. H. H. Grace, Judge Frank T. Lloyd and
County Clerk Francis F. Patterson, vice presidents;
Charles M. Curry secretary; Charles A. Reynolds, treas-
urer. Camden was the first city in the State to organize
a public safety committee and plans were discussed at
the initial meeting for the organization of a home guard
of four hundred and fifty men. On March 30, 1917, City
Council appropriated $1,000 for the immediate use of
158
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
the committee to protect the city. The members of the
committee were as follows :
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Mayor Charles H. Ellis, President
Francis F. Patterson, Jr., First V-Pres. Charles M. Curry, Secretary
Hon. Frank T. Lloyd, Second V-Pres. Charles A. Reynolds, Treasurer
Dr. H. H. Grace, Third V-Pres. David Baird, Jr., Asst. Treasurer
David Baird, Sr.
Ralph W. E. Donges
Joshua C. Haines
Charles S. Boyer
Dr. Daniel Strock
A. B. F. Smith
Upton S. Jefferys
David Baird, Sr.
F. Wayland Ayer
Fithian S. Simmons
B. B. Draper
Herbert N. Munger
Edmund E. Read
Francis B. Wallen
George A. Frey
David A. Henderson
Ralph W. E. Donges
J. Hartley Bowen
J. Milton Burdge
T. G. Coulter
H. H. Etter
Dr. Joel W. Fithian
George L. Bender
David Baird, Jr.
W. Penn Corson
H. J. Dudley
George L. Bender
Wm. D. Sayrs, Jr.
W. W. Fry
Harry M. Knight
B. M, Hedrick
Wm. D. Brown
Mrs. Joseph Kobus
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Joseph H. Forsyth
David B. Jester
John Prentice
A. R. Frome
B. G. Royal
Wm. J. Cooper
Samuel Croft
George M. Andrews
James Buckelew
NATIONAL GUARD
Edgar A. Freeman
E. J. Kelleher
James H. Long
J. M. Pennock
Wm. F. Powell
Arthur R. Gcmberling
Joseph H. Forsyth
W. Penn Corson
John Prentice
James H. Long
E. G. C. Bleakly
Francis B. Wallen
Very Rev. B. J. Mulligan
James V. Moran
Theodore T. Kause!
W. H. Pratt
Arthur R. Gemberlinj
Frank Starr
Dr. C. T. Branch
Wm. Casselman
E. G. C. Bleakly
Walter T. Pratt
William T. Read
F. D. Weaver
C. A. Wolverto«
William C Story
RELIEF COMMITTEE
Rev. H. F. Gravatt
L. B. Reader
E. P. Carson
Dr. Harry Jarrett
B. M. Hedrick
James E. Hewitt
Dr. Paul N. Litchfield
INDUSTRIAL RESOURCE COMMITTEE
Charles S. Boyer Theodore T. Kausel J. H. Downey
Frank S. Van Hart J. Lynn Truscott Ralph D. Baker
Belford G. Royal Arthur C. Abele John T. Rodan
Kessler Webster Samuel L. Clarke Raymond L. Warrei
INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE
William D. Sayrs, Jr.
Rev. Zed H. Copp
W. Butler
Sig. Schoenagle
David Doan
William A. Frost
Joseph S. Kerbaugh
Antonio Mecca
T. Harry Rowland
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. 1 59
CHARLES M. CURRY
Secretary of Public Safety Committee and Victory Jubilee and
Memorial Committee
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
161
INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE— Continued
Robert J. D. Field
George H. Cummins
Alex. Jasienski
William C. French
L- T. Derousse
Wra. D. Vanaman
A. E. Simmons
E. B. McClong
George A. Tatem
Malcolm B. Webster
Joshua C. Haines
George E. Kappell
F. E. Himmelein
Thomas Mason
James F. Lennon
Frank C. Sayrs
Rev. G. H. Hemingway
William D. Brown
HOME GUARDS
John Conradi
Fred W. Gercke
F. George Delker
Rev. Jas. R. White
George J. Schneider
William Weber
William F. Bolzau
George Arnold
Benjamin Abrams
J. Blair Cuthbert
Rev. I. E. Showell
John J. Bingham
George A. Fogarty
Chas. W. Mathiott
Joseph A. Tully
Francis G. Bailey
RED CROSS AND PROFESSIONAL MEN AND WOMEN COMMITTEE
Dr. Daniel Strock
Dr. C. F. Hadley
Rev. John B. Haines
Rev. R. E. Brestell
Miss Elizabeth C. Reeve
Dr. Paul M. Mecray
Dr. C. P. Tuttle
Albert S. Woodruff
Mrs. E. S. Woodward
Dr. Lettie Allen Ward
A. B. F. Smith
Fredk Von Neida
C. J. Roberts
James E. Tatem
A. W. Young
AUTOMOBILE COMMITTEE
R. D. Clow, Jr.
Geo. H. Gomersall
George Bradley
George Blake
George Bachmann
William C. Davis
W. L. Sweeten
J. Sidney Mather
Chas. W. Austermuhl
William W. Moyer
Upton S. Jefferys
Frank S. Albright
Frank Sheridan
Benj. W. Courter
John D. Courter
PUBLICITY COMMITTEE
Daniel M. Hassett
Charles Schuck
Clayton Moore
Otto Erdlen
Charles J. Haaga
Daniel P. McConnell
James L. Polk
William H. Jefferys
John J. Tischner
PUBLIC WELFARE COMMITTEE
Rev. Charles Bowden
George W. Whyte
John T. Rodan
John W. Sell
R. S. Carney
William D. Brown
A. L. Sayers
Dr. Grant E. Kirk
A. L. Ogden
Charles A. Wolverton
Fredk Von Neida
Rev. J. R. Read
Christian D. Fisher
A. Lincoln Michener
CITY GARDENS COMMITTEE
B. M. Hedrick
Zed H. Copp
Charles H. Ellis
David Jester
E. G. C. Bleakly
Hon. Frank T. Lloyd
Dr. James E. Bryan
Asa L. Roberts
M. F. Middleton, Jr.
A. B. Sparks
J. Hartley Bowen
Richard S. Carney
Charles H. Hayes
W. D. Sayrs, Jr.
William Derham
George L. Bender
Dr. H. L. Rose
Georga Molineaux
Ray E. Zimmerman
H. R. Kuehner
1 62
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
W. W. Fry
Rev. E. Ray Simon*
Charles A. Wolverton
William J. Cooper
W. H. Debenham
BOYS' COMMITTEE
Abe Fuhrman
Wm. Heckenhorn
Joseph F. Magee
Joshua C. Haines
F. G. Hitchner
H. N. Munger
G. Wilbur Taylor
H. B. Hemphill
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
C. S. Ackley
W. S. Abbott
Philip Auerbach
George W. Amme
Hon. Wm. J. Browning
George Barrett
M. D. Bulifant
W. J. Boddy
Edward B. Broadway
L- F. Bonaker
J. Z. Blank
Dr. W. K. Browning
Thomas W. Binker
Samuel Buzine
Frazer A. Baker
H. P. Bailey
Henry F. Budney
W. P. Brewin
Arthur B. Butcher
Thomas Burnsides
Josiah Beckett
Heisler Bowden
L. S. Bell
Dr. Jas. W. Blackwood
Rev. Dr. I. W. Bagley
Ernest E. Bartelt
W. B. M. Burrell
William A. Baird
A. G. Connell
Rev. T. D. Collins
Dr. W. W. Crate
Sylvester Corson
H. M. Cooper
Ralph D. Childrey
William B. Cannon
Joseph G. Corson
Harry Cline
Benjamin F. Cox
Ralph Cavallo
Dr. H. H. Davis
Howard Dalrymple
C K. Deacon
Joseph B. Davis
Joseph Driver
Isaac Dough ten
Harry A. Durkin
Rev. M. Di Ielsi
J. R. Diehm
James L. Dougherty
John W. Dyer
Samuel A. Dobbins
William A. Donavan
J. T. Dorrance
Harry M. Dease
Charles Epting
Raymond L. English
Wilbur B. Ellis
F. A. Finkeldey, Sr.
Philip P. Fletcher
George Fisher
Walter M. Friant
W. E. Fox
Herbert C. Felton
John A. Furey
Charles M. Ferat
Wm. H. Fredericks
Harry L. Foulkes
Isaac Frisch
V. M. Fulton
Rev. C. I. FitzGeorge
Dr. I. N. Griscom
William Grass
George Garland
Walter E. Garwood
Robert J. Garrison
C. H. Greer
Kohman Goldstein
Isaac H. Gleason
Wm. W. Garrigues
Louis B. Humphreys
Harry R. Humphreys
Harry C. Hinchman
Bruce C. Hallowell
George Helm
Edward Heimach
George F. Hammond
Rev. W. H. Heath
P. D. Hughes
Edwin S. Huff
Robert J. Hill
Cooper B. Hatch
Howard Hammell
J. J. Ilowelctt
E- D. Horner
Dr. Roland I. Hainea
Arthur Herron
Wesley W. Hibbs
Edward Hillman
Edgar R. Holme
William E. Hilbmann
F. G. Hitchner
W. S. Hunt
Edward Ivers
J. C. Pohnson
A. L. Jones
Dr. Herbert Johnsoa
S. M. Jacobson
Joseph W. Johnston
George W. Kirkbride
Anthony Kobus
George P. Kroecker
William J. Kelley
Dr. Thomas M. Kain
William H. King
Robert Kepner
William J. Kelly
Dr. A. H. Lippincott
Henry C. Eounsberry
E. G. Locke
William L. Lloyd
H. B. Lee
Harry C. Sharp
Thomas N. Lecson
Wilbur Lambert
Frank J. Leonard
Edward M. Ladd
Dr. J. Lynn Mahaffey
Robert Macintosh
William II. Monroe
Howard Marshall
Dr. W. E. Miller
B. S. Maloney
Herbert W. Mowrey
Dr. P. H. Markley
William E. Morgenweck
Col. D. B. Murphy
Benton O. Miller
Joseph J. Merit!
Clarence 1 ) Mathews
William Mil's
Edward Mill»r
CAMDEN COUNTY IX THE GREAT WAR. [63
[Photo by Wonfor.]
WILLIAM D. SAYRS, JR.
Chairman of Investigation Committee
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
165
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE— Continued.
Marco Marino
A. W. Nash
R. M. Pancoast, Jr.
Walter Parsons
J. Marion Parsons
H. Frank Pettit
Wolcott J. Patterson
Rev. S. D. Price
Dr. Edward C Pechin
G. H. Prince
William F. Powell
E. Pierce
Elwood Prickett
David B. Peterson
Rev. E. O. Parker
W. E. Prickett
Benjamin Phillip
David R. Rose
W. L. Roberts
H. R. Read
Wilbur F. Rom
Frederick Roedel, Sr.
Dr. A S. Ross
Joseph Richards
Newton Roney
Dr. A. B. Reader
Gustav Roedel
John S. Roberts
Wm. M. Riddle
Frank G. Rigging
Chas. C. Reeves, Jr.
Dr. S. M. Rubinstein
Wm. E. Ringle
Dr. E. A. Y. Schellenger
Walter Simpson
Adam T. Schlorer
Chas. H. Stewart
Joseph P. Shinn
Dr. O. W. Saunders
Dr. M. A Street
John A. Stockton
Ira Shute
Chas. H. Sullivan, Jr.
Max Schoeman
Robert Smith
Frank Saur
Chas. S. Straw
A. Shimp, Sr.
Harry C. Sharp
Edward W. Sharp
Chas. P. Stitt
John M. Smith
Anthony S. Spring
Thos. Skillman
John J. Stevenson
William Sturges
John Schuda
Arthur R. Stanton
Edward F. Tretbar
F. W. Tussejr
G. E. Taylor
William Tideken
E. P. Turner
Orley Twigg
Joseph R. Taylor
Warren S. Thompson
Chas. F. Turner
Frank L. Vinton
Samuel Varbalow
Ward D. Vernon
Harry Varbalow
Robert A Van Mater
G. Gerry White
Phillip Wilson
E. J. Way
James F, Walton
W. Taylor Wright
John T. Wright
William Wilkins
George Wentiing
Warren Webster
George H. Williams
William P. Weiser
Carl Wiewadel
Louis Zeitman
On April 2, 19 17, the second meeting of the commit-
tee was held in the Y. M. C. A. building. While the
meeting was in session President Wilson was reading his
war message to Congress. Before the meeting was over
a telegram was read from the platform by Walter L.
Tushingham, a newspaperman, which stated that the
President had told Congress that a state of war already
existed between the United States and the Imperial Ger-
man Empire. Francis G. Riggins had just finished sing-
ing "The Old Flag Never Touched the Ground," and a
dramatic scene of cheering followed, led by Spanish-
American War veterans. The mayor asked the audience
to rise and Mr. Riggins led in the singing of "America."
l66 camden county in the great war.
City Pledged Loyalty.
Thousands of citizens assembled at Third Regiment
Armory on Saturday afternoon, April 21, 1917, to pledge
their loyalty to America in the Great War at a meet-
ing arranged by the Public Safety Committee. The rally
took place following a spectacular street parade. Ralph
W. E. Donges was chairman of the committee on ar-
rangements and Mayor Ellis was chairman of the meet-
ing. Addresses were made by United States Senator
James E. Watson, of Indiana; Attorney General John
W. Wescott and Dr. Russell H. Conwell, president of
Temple University. Judge Frank T. Lloyd called on the
throng to raise their right hands and the great audience
then repeated after him the Freeman's Oath. This was
followed by great cheering. The following resolutions
were read by Secretary Charles M. Curry and adopted
unanimously :
"Whereas, in the providence of that Divine Power,
which has ever been the guiding hand in American his-
tory, the nation is called to arms to again defend and
extend the liberties of mankind.
"Be it resolved, by the citizens, of Camden in mass
meeting assembled, that without dissenting voice, we
hereby consecrate to the sacred cause in which we are
engaged and to the Government of the United States
our unreserved support and to that end we pledge our
material resources, our service and life itself to the ac-
complishment of the unselfish purpose of the President,
the Congress and the Nation.
"Resolve, that we call upon the Government to exert
every lawful effort in the prosecution of the war to a
successful conclusion, including especially in such effort
the enactment of legislation to the end that there shall be
universal training in the bearing of arms, and that a just
distribution of the burden through fair draft of its
male citizens may be secured, such system being the only
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. 1 67
equitable method of procuring the service of both the
willing and the unwilling in the defense of our common
country.
"Resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be sent to
the President of the United States, the President of the
Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives."
All, Special Officers
Each member of the Public Safety Committee was
sworn in as a special officer and presented with a badge
of authority to make arrest and carry weapons. Each
member was subject to the call of the mayor in case of
riots, fire, insurrection or any trouble. The occasion
never arose that necessitated the call of the committee for
that purpose but it did great work during the war es-
pecially during the influenza epidemic in the fall of 19 18.
The committee's greatest feat was to organize a parade
on the day that the armistice was signed within seven
hours. Mayor Ellis called the committee at 5.30 a. m.,
on Armistice Day, November n, 19 18, to meet in his
office at the City Hall at 7 a. m., to plan for a parade at 1
p. m. A committee left for Camp Dix at 10 a. m. to con-
fer with Major General Hugh L. Scott, commander, in
regards to having troops sent to Camden for the parade.
Arrangements were made to have two companies sent on
a special train and the parade took place.
Prior to Christmas, 19 17, the committee secured an
appropriation from City Council and the Board of Free-
holders for the purchase of articles to be made into
Christmas packages for the men in the service. These
Christmas packages were forwarded to army camps,
where they were distributed by committees and the gifts
to the men overseas were forwarded by mail. At the re-
quest of the Government the committee became known
as ithe Council of Defense before the war ended and be-
came a branch of the New Jersey Council of Defense.
1 68
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
VICTORY JUBILEE COMMITTEE
THE Victory Jubilee Committee took the place of the
Council of Defense, previously known as the Pub-
lic Safety Committee. Mayor Charles H. Ellis named
the committee shortly after the armistice was signed and
the first meeting was held at the Board of Trade office
on November 17, 19 18, when the following committees
were named and officers elected :
President, Charles H. Ellis
Vice President, F, F. Patterson, Jr.
Secretary, Charles M. Curry
Treasurer, Walter J. Staats
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Mayor Charles H. Ellis, Chairman
Charles K. Haddo*
Walter J. Staats
James J. Scott
F. F. Patterson, Jr.
David B. Jester
David Baird, Sr.
John Prentice
Frank Sheridan
M. A. Neeland
William S. Abbott
F. Morse Archer
Dr. Henry H. Davis
William L. Hurley
James H. Long
Walter L. Tushingham
Joseph H. Forsyth
Townsend Stites
James E. Bryan
Frank T. Lloyd
William J. Cooper
Chas. S. Boyer
Charles M. Curry
George A. Frey
Francis B. Wallen
Charles A. Reynolds
W. Penn Corson
Dr. Daniel Strock
Andrew B. F. Smith
Charles F. Wise
E. G. C. Bleakly
William J. Kraft
Frank S. Van Hart
Rev. J. B. McCloskey
William J. Dallas
Rev. Holmes F. Gravatt
William D. Sayrs, Jr.
Dr. Clement T. Branch
David M. Anderson
Benjamin Natal
J. H. Lippincott
Arthur R. Gemberling
Thomas W. Jack
Harry M. Knight
Isaac Frisch
John B. Kates
Elias Davis
Wm. D. Vanaman
Volney G. Bennett
William D. Brown
Arthur C. Abele
Samuel Curriden
Sidney P. McCord
John H. Fort
Ernest F. Lloyd
George A. Wonfor
Frank J. Hineline
D. A. Henderson
Dr. Alex MacAlister
Antonio Mecca
Rev. Martin Lipinski
A. Ransaville Frome
George A. Frey
David A. Henderson
James F. Lennon
Rev. R. E. Brestell
Upton S. Jefferys
George Barrett
Patrick II. Harding
Preston D. Hughe*
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
William J. Cooper, Chairman
Very Rev. B. J. Mulligan
Arthur Stanley
Rev. Thomas J. Whelan
Marco Marino
Louis Tartar
Philip Auerbach
Sig. Schoenagle
Rev. George E. Morris
Antonio Mecca
George A. Tatem
Frank P. Cocchiaraley
Vincent Cioffi
Alex. Jasienski
Joseph Kraz
Arthur Truscott
Garfield Pancoast
Joseph E. Nowrey
Samuel T. French
CAMDEN COUNTY IX Till'. GREAT WAR.
169
~
=
VICTORY JUBILEE COMMITTEE.
171
ADVISORY COMMITTEE— (Continued.)
Rev. Alex. Corson
Rev. Stephen Wiesnski
Rev. John B. Ha : nes
Rev. J. 11. Townsend
Rev. John R. Read
Wilbur B. Ellis
Rev. Chas. I. FitzGeorge
James E. Tatem
O. D. Kline
Louis Zeitmaa
Rev. John W. Lyell
Samuel A. Dobbins
Rev. H. J. Vosburgh
William D. Brown
Rev. Thilo M. Gorr
William Williams
Charles Houvington
John G. Payne
Powell K. Martin
Harry P. Roesch
Rev. Orlando Watts
John W. Kelly, Jr.
Rev. Giovanni Allegri
Percy H. Pedrick
David M. Anderson
Frederick Lange
Edward F. Dold
Horace Bradbury
Thomas W. Jack
J. H. Lippincott, Jr.
William J. Dallas
Harry W. Hagerty
Thomas A. Graham
William F. McAllister
Anthony R. Rohmer
James W. Firth
William C. Raughly
Wiliam R. Sentman
John McCallion
William T. Lippincott
J. S. Carter
Alfred M. Matthews
Larson Homer
W. I. Tomlinson
Fred C. Sickler
William J. Salter
Steve Mignogno
S. M. Jacobson
O. Glen Stackhouse
FINANCE COMMITTEE
F. F. Patterson, Jr., Chairman
J. W. Sell James F. Lennon Samuel Wood
David Baird, Jr. Charles Laird, Jr. Frank O. Stem
Harry C. Sharp Alfred L. Sayers Charles A. Wolverton
Wm. J. Browning
Joshua C. Haines
COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION
David Baird, Sr., Chairman
William T. Read
Joseph Wallworth
Ralph W. Kellam
T. Harry Rowland
Harry C. Kramer
Joshua C Haines
James E. Hewitt
Theo. T. Kausel
Harry C. Sharp
Powell G. Fithian
Joseph E. Nowrey
Frank C. Sayrs
E. Kessler Webstar
RED CROSS COMMITTEE
Dr. Daniel Strock, Chairman
George W. Whyte
MEMORIAL COMMITTEE
James J. Scott, Chairman
Charles A. Reynolds
J. Walter Levering
Townsend Stites
Warren Webster
E. E. Read, Jr.
James H. Eong
Michelle Ferrante
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
James E. Bryan, Chairman
Rev. F. J. McCallion M. D. Cornish
PARADE COMMITTEE
James H. Long, Chairman
Frank G. Riggins
Wm. D. Sayrs, Jr.
Antonio DiPaolo
Joseph H. Forsyth
Chas. M. Curry
172
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
PUBLICITY AND HISTORICAL COMMITTEE
Frank Sheridan, Chairman
Frank H. Ryan, Sec'y
Charles Schuck
Daniel P. McConnell
William Jefferys
Benj. W. Courter
William D. Brown
W. D. Sayrs, Jr.
Wm. J. Strandwitz
Frank S. Van Hart
James H. Long
John D. Courter
James L. Polk
Daniel M. Stevens
Frank S. Albright
Charles J. Haaga
William Rothman
Alvah M. Smith
Richard S. Ridgway
RECEPTION COMMITTEE
W. Penn Corson, Chairman
Rev. G H. Hemingway
Volney G. Bennett
Rev. Orlando Watts
Charles F. Wise
Antonio Mecca
MEDICAL COMMITTEE
Dr. H. H. Davis, Chairman
Robert D. Clow, Jr.
John Prentice
Robert J. D. Field
Harry Pelouze
Charles M. Curry
Dr. John F. Leavitt
Dr. Harry F. Palm
Dr. Edward C. Pechin
Dr. Marcus K. Mines
Dr. Wm. P. Wingender
Dr. David S. Rhone
Dr. Orris W. Saunders Dr. A. M. L. Maldeii
Dr. Harry F. Bushey Dr. Lozenzo B. Hirst
Dr. Thomas B. Lee Dr. Joseph E. Roberts
Dr. Paul M. Mecray Dr. Alexander S. Ross
Dr. A. Haines Lippincott Dr. Wesley J. Barrett
Andrew B. F. Smith
Wm. S. Abbott
W. H. Turnbull
Charles H. Greer
George L. Bender
DECORATION COMMITTEE
Samuel C. Curriden, Chairman.
Charles S. Boyer John W. Kelly, Jr.
Walter L. Campbell Charles M. Curry
COMMITTEE ON WELFARE
Fred W. Gercke
E. Frank Pine
Thomas W. Binker
VICTORY SINGS
William S. Abbott, Chairman
Prof. C. Harold Lowden William L. Roberts William J. Kelly
John T. Rodan J. Hartley Bowen
COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS
Frank S. Van Hart, Chairman
F. F. Patterson, Jr.
Frank J. Hineline
Wm. D. Sayrs, Jr.
F. Morse Archer
WOMEN'S COMMITTEE
Mrs. Mary Walsh Kobus, Chairman
Mrs. F. F. Patterson
Mrs. Wm. L- Hurley
Mrs. H. G. Longwell
Mrs. L. Read
Miss E. C Reeve
Mrs. William Lacy
Mrs. Wm. Eastlack
Mrs. John A. Mather
Mrs. Irving Buckle
Miss M. A. Burrough
Mrs. M| H| Sidebottom
Mrs. S. A. Taylor
Mrs. W. W. Fry
Mrs. Francis D. Weaver Miss L. Y. Clopper
174
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
■2. -t
S ~ a
-c W „ u
^ ~ U- £
— r3 ~ rt
or. —: (5£
cd C -
C< o
£ u~W
O (LI
'— r- . ■
3 £ f« •"
— bcC «
P = _ : S
He obS
■ n °
x- ^->
W^; o _-
<8±
l 1 u — ,
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. 175
JAMES J. SCOTT l phot ° b y Wonfor.i
Chairman of Memorial and Monumemt Committee.
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. IJJ
[Photo by Wonfor.'i
FRANCIS F. PATTERSON, JR.
Chairman of Finance Committee
VICTORY JUBILEE COMMITTEE.
179
WOMEN'S COMMITTEE— Continued.
Mrs. J. M. Cramer
Mrs. A. Fuhrman 1
Mrs. K. Johnson
,Mrs. Richard Teal
Mrs. M. Cornish
Mrs. Isaac King
Mrs. G. Dore Cogswell
Mrs. B. F. Royal
Dr. E. M. Richardson
Miss N. Deighan
Mrs. W. B, M. Burrell
Mrs. G. W. Bradley
Miss Janet Bradley
Mrs. John H. Thompson
Miss S. P. McWilliams
Mrs. J. Keunzie
Mrs. Harry Wright
Mrs. Mary Baird Fox
Mrs. Charles M. Curry
Mrs. Sue Wells
Mrs. Chas. I. FitzGeorge
Mrs.
Raymond Warren
Mrs.
H. N. Scheirer
Mrs.
Julia Sensor
Mrs.
A. B. F. Smith
Mrs.
Myrtle Trucksess
Mrs.
M. Rockhill
Mrs.
Horace Budd
Miss
M. E. Davis
Mrs.
Wm. T. Read
Mrs.
Peter Gulcz
Mrs.
R. E. Brestell
Mrs.
Antonio Mecca
Mrs.
Carl Mankey Jr.
Mrs.
Chas. H. Greer
Mrs.
F. Walter Toms
Mrs.
John Prentice
Mrs.
F. S, Dodd
Mrs.
W. Penn Corson
Mrs.
G. H. Hemingway
Airs.
Helen Webb
Mrs.
Ida Palm
Mrs.
Eva Wycoff Hall
Mrs.
J. Saul
Mrs.
Austin
Mrs.
L. P. Roth
Mrs.
Frank Miller
Mrs.
J. McAdams
Mrs.
Felton
Mrs.
R. A. Conner
Mrs.
Malcolm Letts
Mrs.
Warren Coffin
Mrs.
James Henderson
Mrs.
Charles H. Ellis
Mrs.
Schuck
Mrs.
E. A. Y. Schellen-
Mrs.
A. S. May
ger
Mrs.
Russell Lane
Mrs.
Paul M. Mecray
Mrs.
T. B. Lee
The committee became known as the Victory Jubilee
and Memorial Committee of Camden City and County
and appropriations were granted by City Council and
Board of Freeholders amounting to $25,000, four-fifths
of which was granted by the city and the balance by the
county. The committee then ordered victory arches
erected at Federal street, Market street and Kaighn ave-
nue terminals ; a court of honor at the Court House, City
Hall and Broadway and Kaighn avenue.
Because the Government restricted the size of pack-
ages as Christmas gifts to the men overseas and con-
fined the parcels mainly to their families, the committee
sent a new crisp two dollar note to each man in the ser-
vice as a gift from the city and county in 19 18. The
committee was also instrumental, through its influential
members, in having a bill passed by Legislature in giv-
ing communities the right to bond themselves to raise
sufficient appropriations for the erections of memorials.
The committee caused the names of the heroic dead to
be placed on the main arches of the court of honor at the
Court House and City Hall. A committee on memorial
resolutions was instructed to prepare parchments to be
l8o CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
presented to the families of the men who died in the ser-
vice as a testimony of esteem from the city and county.
Through the efforts of the mayor and the committee re-
turned soldiers were secured employment.
The first big reception conducted by the committee was
the welcome to Vice Admiral Henry B. Wilson. This
was followed by the welcome of the 1 14th Infantry. Then
as each unit arrived from overseas they were either
greeted at the ports or at Camp Dix by committees and
given candy and cigarettes.
The committee held a celebration at the Court House
on the night of June 28, 1919, when the peace treaty
was signed at Versailles and it was attended by
thousands.
The committee decided among other things to hold a
great victory jubilee celebration September 6, 1919, to
erect a suitable memorial in honor of the men who gave
their lives in the service, and to dine all men in the coun-
ty who served in the war at a great banquet during vic-
tory jubilee.
Peace Jubilee
The Peace Jubilee was the crowning effort of the Vic-
tory Jubilee and Memorial Committee. The jubilee was
celebrated on the afternoon of September 6, 1919, with
a monster street parade followed by a banquet to the hun-
dreds of men from this county who served the nation in
the war on land and sea. The parade was viewed by
Admiral Henry B. Wilson, Col. Daniel T. Mather and the
Mayors of Camden county.
The festivities began with a parade at 2.00 o'clock.
James H. Long, chairman of the Parade Committee of
the Victory Jubilee and Memorial Committee, was mar-
shal. It was the county's first opportunity to honor at
home all of the men who served in the war and they were
accorded a mighty welcome. Thousands of persons lined
the route of the parade. Cheer after cheer greeted the
1 82 camdEn county in the great war.
[Photo by Wonfor.]
\Y. PENN C< >KS()\
Chairman of Reception Committee
CAMDEN COUNTY IN Till'. GREAT WAR. 183
[Photo by Wonfor.1
JAMES H. LONG
Chairman of Parade Committee
VICTORY JUBILEE COMMITTEE. 185
heroes of land and sea. Lieutenant Colonel Harry C.
Kramer was marshal of the soldiers' division and his aides
were Major Winfield S. Price, Captain Edward West and
Commander Francis W. Hoffman. Veterans of the
Twenty-ninth and Seventy-eighth Divisions and the
sailors and marines marched with steady tread behind
their battle flags.
Behind the heroes marched thousands of men and wo-
men who backed the boys at the front. Almost every fra-
ternal order in the city was represented in the line of
march. The Masonic lodges were headed by the uniform-
ed members of Cyrene Commandery, Knights of Tem-
plar. Camden Lodge, No. 293, Benevolent and Protec-
tive Order of Elks; Camden Lodge No. ill, Loyal Order
of Moose; Camden and Assissi Councils, Knights of Co-
lumbus ; Camden Aerie, No. 65, Fraternal Order of
Eagles; Patriotic Order Sons of America, Colored and
Polish societies, Order United Americans, Improved
Order of Red Men were represented in line together with
many other fraternal orders.
The Camden Fire Department made a particularly good
appearance with fine motor apparatus and uniformed men
headed by Chief Peter B. Carter. The firemen of the var-
ious towns in the county participated. Mounted police
acted as an escort, headed by Chief of Police E. A.
Gravenor.
The Camden County Chapter of the American Red
Cross appeared in uniform. Oversea nurses and work-
ers, who toiled long hours at home making bandages and
knitting warm apparel for the fighters, marched in uni-
form and were heartily cheered.
Boy Scouts, Ninth Ward Republican Association,
Whitman Park Improvement Association and the Italian
societies of the city and other organizations were in line.
The churches and the Sunday Schools of the county
participated in great numbers.
l86 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
The industrial division included hundreds of factory-
workers and magnificent floats. Members of the Victory
Jubilee and Memorial Committee headed the parade with
Mayor Charles H. Ellis marching in the lead of the divi-
sion. Members of City Council, Board of Freeholders
and all of the city and county attaches were in line with
the equipment of all city bureaus.
The great throng paused in its jubilation long enough
to remember the heroes, who did not return, when the
magnificent memorial float slowly wended its way over
the gaily decorated route of parade. Church bells tolled
when the beautiful tribute to the heroic dead began its
journey down Sixth street from State under the canopy
of a blue heaven and under the fluttering flags of nations
whose joint arms had brought peace to the world and
crushed Prussianism under the heel.
Mounted majestically over the float was the bronze
image of a Yank soldier. He stood on a white marble
pedestal and at his feet were wreaths. A huge gold star,
bearing the number "135" carried the sad message that
that number had answered the "roll call up yonder." A
guard of honor, men from the army, navy and marine
corps, who served overseas, marched on either side of the
float.
The relatives of the service men viewed the parade
from a grandstand in front of the Court House.
The school children of the city massed at Broadway
and Line street in front of Carnegie Library. They were
led in singing by Prof. Powell G. Fithian, Director of
Music of Public Schools. One square above, the children
of Broadway School were led in singing by Prof. C.
Harold Lowden in a Victory Sing.
Following the parade a great banquet was served by
the Camden County Chapter of the American Red Cross
in the Third Regiment Armory to the service men who
marched in the parade. It was the largest meal ever pre-
pared in the city and was served by hundreds of Red
Cross workers.
[88 CAMDEN COUNTY IX THE GREAT WAR.
§lti; # «l
FRANK S. VAN II \UT
Chairman of Memorial Resolutions Commitl
CAMDEN COUNTY IX THE GREAT WAR. 189
[Photo by Wonfor.]
FRANK SHERIDAN
Chairman of Publicity and Historical Committee
CAMDEN COUNTY IX TllK GREAT WAR.
I 9 I
[Photo by Wonfor.1
SAMUEL C. CURRIDEN
Chairman of Decorations Committee, Who Directed the Erec-
tion of all Victory Arches and Decorations for Receptions
to Troops, Admiral Wilson and Peace Jubilee
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. I93
WAR BUREAUS
Fuel Administration.
WHEN the fuel situation became acute in the winter
of 19 17 and 19 1 8, Dr. Harry A. Garfield
was named national fuel administrator by President
Wilson. So great was the demand for fuel to keep the
ships going with supplies for the troops, for moving
troops and for feeding the allies that there was a short-
age in this country. The mines were unable to produce
enough coal to meet the situation and to make matters
more acute the worst January in history produced twenty
days of snow.
Richard Jenkinson, of Newark, was named fuel ad-
ministrator for New Jersey and Charles K. Haddon, of
Haddonfield, was named a member of the State Fuel
Committee. Walter J. Staats, of Merchantville, was
named administrator for Camden and Gloucester coun-
ties. The associate administrators for Camden county
were J. Walter Levering and David Baird, Jr., and for
Gloucester county, G. M. Ashton, of Swedesboro, and L.
B. Mockett, of Woodbury.
On January 21, 19 18, one of the most drastic orders
ever issued in this republic was made by National Ad-
ministrator Garfield, when every factory, office building,
hotel, school, store, church, lodge and society was denied
fuel for lighting and heat. The order applied to Mon-
days with few exceptions and was in effect several
weeks. Then came lightless nights when every business
house, church, club and factory was not permitted to
have exterior illumination. Lamps were burned in
churches, inns, clubs and other public places.
Coal became so scarce that the administrator allowed
but a half ton to a customer and then only after the eel-
194 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
lar of the purchaser had been searched by the police to
prevent hoarding. Factories manufacturing non-essen-
tials had the coal consigned to them commandeered and
turned over to hospitals and public works, such as water
works and electric power plants. Streets were dark at
night because of the scarcity of coal at the power plant
of the Public Service Corporation.
The heavy snow in January delayed the shipment of
coal for days from mines and often the coal consigned
to Camden was stolen from the cars before they reached
here by the population of Pennsylvania towns suffering
also from the lack of fuel. Churches, hotels and clubs
burned cord wood and bituminous coal where it was
possible.
During this crisis Administrator Staats had the volun-
teer services of Andrew B. F. Smith, Clarence H. Lum-
mis, Edward M. Middleton, Charles Laib and Frank B.
Middleton at the fuel office which was established at 311
Market street.
Food Administration
When it became recognized that the United States
must act the role of feeding almost the entire world and
when Herbert Hoover was appointed national food ad-
ministrator, Camden county prepared to do its share in
conserving various foods. Circuit Court Judge Frank T.
Lloyd and Prosecutor Charles A. Wolverton were ap-
pointed the administrators in the early summer of 1918.
It was a very difficult work, especially from the fact the
American people had never been accustomed, at least in
this generation, to having their food supply measured.
It was also rather difficult to always follow to the letter
the many conflicting orders, reports and what not that
came from the national or State Administrations, but
both Judge Lloyd and Prosecutor Wolverton evidenced
a happy propensity for obtaining the best possible in-
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. I95
[Photo by IVonfor.]
WALTER J. STAATS
Fuel Administrator of Camden and Gloucester Counties.
WAR BUREAUS. I97
terpretation out of the regulations and that they were
successful was evidenced in other counties seeking infor-
mation from them. The sugar, wheat, meat, flour and
other staple commodities particularly affected by the
rules created no end of contention in the beginning on
the part of housewives and bakers, but they soon recog-
nized the need for the administration and eventually be-
came staunch aids to the food arbiters. It was a won-
derful experience for all concerned and in the end learn-
ed many a person the true value of food and the foolish-
ness of wasting it. This particular work, one of the most
difficult in the war. was also one of the most successful.
War Resources Committee.
In connection with the prosecution of the war, the
War Industries Board early in the summer of 191 8 de-
cided that it would be necessary to employ the full man-
power of the United States and utilize every ounce of
certain classes of raw material. To this end the Re-
sources and Conversion Section was created and the
country divided into twenty districts, called "regions."
Camden and South Jersey came under the jurisdiction of
the Philadelphia district and was known as War Re-
sources Committee for Sub-Regian No. 10 of Region
No. 4. At the suggestion of the Camden Board of
Trade, Ernest R. Trigg, regional advisor, appointed
Charles S. Boyer, chairman of this sub-region, which in-
cluded Camden, Gloucester, Salem Cumberland, Cape
May and Atlantic counties and, from August 10 to
November 11, he devoted practically his entire time to the
work. An advistory committee consisting of the follow-
ing, at considerable personal sacrifice, gave valuable and
efficient service in the work.
Benjamin S. Mechling, C. D. Mathews, Ward D. Ker-
lin, Theo. T. Kausel, Bedford G. Royal, James J. Scott,
F. Morse Archer, George F. Kappel, J. Walter Levering,
I98 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
A. M. Parker, A. R. Frome, Frank S. Van Hart, James
L. Myles, Charles W. Russ, of Woodbury; Lucius E.
Hires, of Salem; Charles F. Cox, of Bridgeton, Edward
A. Wilson, of Atlantic City.
Charles M. Curry, as secretary of the committee, was
actively identified in every movement and worked untir-
ingly to carry out the instructions of the War Industries
Board.
The purposes of this organization were to provide in-
formation with respect to new sources of war supply
and manufacturing opportunities and to act as the point
of contact between the War Industries Board and
manufacturers.
It was immediately patent to the local committee that
the first thing to be done in this sub-region was to pro-
cure an industrial census of the entire district. This
survey was started and had been nearly completed when
the armistice was signed. It included in addition to the
usual information, not only data relating to individual
power plants, but also complete lists of all machine shop
equipment and the possibilities of converting non-essen-
tial into essential industries. The power information
was turned over to the Emergency Fleet Corporation,
while the machine shop data was filed with the Ordnance
Department of the Army.
The sub-region maintained an office at 542 Federal
street, Camden, where all priority rulings of the War
Industries Board were received and information relat-
ing to priorities matters furnished to interested parties.
Several investigations were made at the request of dif-
ferent branches of the War Department, including com-
plete data relating to the refrigerating plants in this
region and the buildings available for emergency hos-
pitals. The chairman was instructed to ascertain
whether there was any rattan available in this territory,
whether there were any establishments that could be
turned over to the making of semi-steel shells, whether
CAMDEN COUNTY IN Till; C.RKaT WAR. 1 99
[Photo by U'onfor.]
HON. FRANK T. LLOYD
Food Administrator of Camden County
WAR BUREAUS. 20i
any manufacturers could produce klaxon horns,
whether there were any weavers of wire cloth, how many
locomotive cranes not in use could be located and many
similar inquiries.
City Farm Gardens
Another weapon to defeat the enemy was the estab-
lishment of City Farm Gardens in the country. They
were urged by the Government and not only provided
food for city residents, but abolished unsightly vacant
lots. Mayor Ellis named the first City Gardens Com-
mittee on April 19, 1917, as follows: E. G. C. Bleakly,
Judge Frank T. Lloyd, Zed H. Copp, William Derham,
L. E. Farnham, B. M. Hedrick, David Jester, O. B.
Kern, M. F. Middleton, Dr. H. L. Rose, Asa L. Roberts,
W. D. Sayrs, Jr., Charles A. Wolverton, Earl T. Jack-
son, H. R. Kuehner, Herbert N. Moffett and Hubert H.
Pfeil. At the initial meeting of the above date B. M.
Hedrick was elected chairman; Zed H. Copp secretary
and M. F. Middleton treasurer. Brandin W. Wright,
a farming expert, was employed as general superintend
dent on May 3, 1917. At a meeting on May 18, 1918,
the names of Frank Sheridan and Daniel P. McConnell
were added to the publicity committee in the place of
Messrs. Pfeil and Jackson.
In his annual report to City Council on January 1,
1918, Mayor Ellis urged the appointment of a commit-
tee by City Council on City Gardens and Councilman
Frederick Von Neida was named as chairman. This
committee with a committee of representative citizens
met in the City Hall in February, 19 18, to organize for
the ensuing summmer. The members of the Council-
manic committee were: Frederick Von Neida, Frank
S. Van Hart. William J. Kelly and John J. Robinson.
The committee planned an exposition of farm garden
202 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
products for the fall of 19 18, but this plan was frustrated
by the Spanish influenza epidemic.
The war gardens became victory gardens in the year
1 9 19 when the committee met on January 29, 19 19.
Meyers Baker was elected secretary and William D.
Sayrs, Jr., treasurer. At the meeting on March 25 com-
mittees were appointed for the Victory War Gardens
Exposition held in Third Regiment Armory from Sep-
tember 15 to 20. Benjamin Abrams was elected general
manager and Frank Sheridan publicity agent.
Liberty Sings
As the war progressed it was the desire of the Gov-
ernment that everything be done to keep up the morale
of the nation as one crisis after another arose, and what
were known as Liberty Sings were instituted. The first
sing in Camden was conducted at the Court House by
James E. Corneal, of Haddonfield. who was named by
the Government as representative of the National Lib-
erty Sing Commission in this county. At the request of
Mayor Ellis City Council named a special committee of
members to continue the work inauguarated by Mr.
Corneal. „
The members of the councilmanic committee were :
William S. Abbott, chairman ; J. Hartley Bowen, Wil-
liam L. Roberts, William J. Kelly and John T. Rodan.
At the first sing held by the committee at the Court
House over five thousand persons attended. The sings
were conducted by C. Harold Lowden, a composer of
note, and Miss Myrtle Eaver was the accompanist. Dur-
ing the war 53,250 persons attended twenty-seven sings
of the committee at the following places: Court House,
attendance, 16,500; Ninth Ward Republican Associa-
3,000; East Camden, 5,000; Parkside, 3,000; Fetters
and Mul ford Schools, 12,000; Broadway M. E. Church,
CAMDEN COUNTY IX THE GREAT WAR. 203
[Photo by Wonfor.]
HOW CHAS. A. WOLVERTON
Associate Food Administrator of Camden County
WAR BUREAUS. 205
2,000; eight other churches, Rotary Club and other or-
ganizations, 3,500.
Home Registration.
So accute did the housing problem become in the city
and county that the Government named a branch of the
United States Home Registration Bureau here. The
duty of this bureau was to secure apartments for work-
ers, who were flooding the city because of war industry.
The members of the board of directors were: J. S. Gor-
man, chairman; L. A. Hawkes, Alban Evanson, Eugene
Haines, James T. Weart, A. E. Armitage, Harry Mon-
roe, William D. Sayrs, Jr., Miss Lula T. White and
Robert D. Clow, Jr. Mrs. Robert D. Clow, Sr., was
chosen manager with headquarters in the Government
Employment Bureau, Fifth street and Taylor avenue.
War Library Committee
The War Library Committee was named on Octo-
ber 5, 1917, for the purpose of supplying books to men
in the service. Howard M. Cooper, Edmund E. Read,
Jr., and Charles S. Boyer were named as a committee to
organize the War Library Committee and the Mayor
named the following as their associates: State Treas-
urer William T. Read, David Baird, Jr., F. Way land
Ayer, Charles M. Curry, Howard J. Dudley, F. Her-
bert Fulton, Abe Fuhrman, William P. Hallinger, Wil-
liam L. Hurley, Theodore T. Kausel, Mrs. Joseph Kobus,
William J. Strandwitz, George W. Whyte, Francis B.
Wallen and Walter L. Tushingham. Howard M.
Cooper was chosen chairman and F. Herbert Fulton
secretary and treasurer.
206 camden county in the great war.
Employment Bureau
The labor situation became alarming during the war
and the Government established a bureau here com-
bining with the city and the State Deparment of Labor.
Headquarters were established in Post 5 Hall, Fifth
street and Taylor avenue, with Harry Monroe in charge
Thousands secured employment at factories making war
necessities, shipyards and on farms.
Four Minute Men
The Four Minute Men was a nation-wide organization
of volunteer speakers and was organized June 16, 1917-
for the purpose of assisting the various departments of
the Government in the work of national defense during
the continuance of the war, by presenting messages or
subjects of vital national importance to moving picture
audiences during the intermissions. The subject matter
was prepared and the speaking generally directed from
Washington under the authority of the Government.
The Four Minute Men organization was a division of
the Committee of Public Iinformation in charge of
Chairman George Reed, consisting of the Secretary of
State, Secretary of War and Secretary of the Navy.
Every State in the Union was organized with a State
body, subject to the government body in Washington.
Each State was in charge of a director, under whose in-
structions a sub-division or organization was created in
every county of the State. Each county was in charge
of an authorized chairman.
The entire organization consisted of volunteers only,
no salaries being paid in any instance except in clerical
hire and stenographic help.
NEW JERSEY OFFICERS
Benjamin E. Chapin, Newark, State Director
John Gregg Paine, Camden, Associate State Director
W. S. Williamson, Newark, State Secretary
Albert Eeon, Perth Amboy, State Treasurer
Williard I. Hamilton, Chairman Board of Trustees
WAR BUREAUS.
207
CHAIRMEN CAMDEN COUNTY ORGANIZATION
George A. Tatem, County Chairman
James E. Hewitt, Camden City
Harold E. Rogers, Haddon Heights
Ethan P. Wescott, Collingswood
Albert E. Burling, Merchantville and
Pensauken
Alfred M. Matthews, Westmont
John E. Shannon, Industries
S. Conrad Ott, Churches
Chas. H. North, Speakers
Harry E. Green, Publicity
Thos. P. Ratcliffe, Eiberty Sinigng
and Schools
Wilbert V. Pike, Fraternal and Social
Organizations
Milton K. Stanley, Theatres
Rev. Carlton R. Van Hook, Wayi
and Means and County Treasurer
Mrs. F. M. Loid, Secretary of Cam-
den County Chairman
Rev. C. R. Van Hook
Wilbert V. Pike
David B. Jester
C M. Gilbert
C. J. Hewitt
C. J. Hunter
H. Ennis Jones
Chas. H. North
Garfield Pancoast
Thos. P. Ratcliffe
Grover C. Richman
Wilbert V. Pike
Dr. Daniel Strock
E. A. Hollenbeck
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Clarence J. Hunter
John L,. Shannon
E. E. Shumaker
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
E. J. Dingley
COUNTY SPEAKERS
Win. C. Marshall
Horace E. Beaver
William R. Stille
Rev. H. F. Gravatt
Rev. Alexander Corson
Harry H. Whaland
T. Harry Rowland
Rev. Wm. H. Dyer
George A. Tatem
Elmer J. Walz
David Baird, Jr.
E. E. Shumaker
Patrick H. Harding
Milton K. Stanley
H. S. Mi'ler
H. P. Ash ton
Rev. C. R. Van Hook
William J. Brown
Ralph N. Kellam
John H. Switzer
Mrs. Geo. E- Cantrall
James E. Hewitt
Aside from many assignments to the various churches,
social and political organizations, twenty-one theatres
were served in the Camden County Four Minute Men
twice every week and in many special campaigns every
night in the week on subjects provided in special bul-
letins by the United States Government.
208 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
FINANCES
Liberty Loan Drives
DURING the war there were four Liberty Loan
campaigns and after the war the fifth loan was
launched and was known as the Victory Liberty Loan
to pay off the indebtedness of the war. Camden county
did nobly in all five drives. Each time the quota was
exceeded. The popular phrase of "went over the top"
was used and in speaking in these terms Camden county
went "over the top" by a margin of $8,908,965. The
county's quota in the first loan was $4,400,000 and the
sum subscribed was $5,053,000; second loan, quota,
$6,500,000, subscribed, $6,757,000; third loan, quota,
$4,700,630, subscribed, $6,950,000; fourth loan, quota,
$8,522,250, subscribed, $10,710,150; fifth loan, quota,
$7,763,205, subscribed $9,125,000. The total subscribed
for Liberty Loans in all five campaigns reaches the grand
total of $38,795,150.
When the war bonds were placed on the market the
American people had to be educated to buy them for
millions of them had never dealt in bonds before. Noon-
day rallies in workshops and booths on the streets were
among the methods used to attract their attention. The
booths were managed by the Women's Liberty Loan
Committee and were stationed in the postoffice and at the
ferry as well as on the streets.
M. F. Middleton, Jr., was chairman of the Camden
County Liberty Loan Committee, after the first loan. W.
D. Sherred was county chairman and Mr. Middleton city
chairman on the initial bond issue campaign. The first
loan campaign opened May 15 and closed June 15, 19 17.
The second loan began October 1, 19 17, and ended on
October 27. David Rash was secretary of that cam-
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR. 200,
MELBOURNE F. MIDDLETON. JR.
Chairman of Camden County Liberty Loan Committee
FINANCES. 211
paign. The third campaign opened April 6, 191 8, and
ended May 6, 1918, with Elwood C. Jefferies as secre-
tary. The fourth loan drive opened September 28, 19 18,
and closed October 19, 19 18. That was the hardest
drive of all, for the city and county was under the pall
of the Spanish influenza epidemic and members of the
committee were stricken and many died. No meetings
were permitted by the Board of Health and for a while
it looked as though the loan would fail but the people
rallied through aggressive newspaper advertising and the
loan went "over the top." The Victory Loan, or the
Fifth, opened April 21 and closed May 9, 1919.
A committee of several hundred women remained
faithful during each campaign. Mrs. Mary Baird Fox
was chairman of the county committee of the Women's
Liberty Loan Committee and Mrs. Mary Walsh Kobus
chairman of the city committee. They sold millions of
dollars worth of bonds during the war and for the
Victory Loan.
The Women's Committee did so well in the Fifth Vic-
tory Loan Campaign that the United States Shipping
Board honored the city by giving the committee the right
to submit three names for a transport to be launched at
Hog Island on Memorial Day. The name "Nedmac,"
Camden spelled backwards, was suggested by Mrs.
Kobus and it was the choice of the Shipping Board. The
"Nedmac" was launched on that eventful day with four
other ships and Mrs. Fox was the sponsor.
War Savings Stamps
As dollars were needed more than anything outside of
man-power to win the war the Government inaugurated
the War Saving Stamp also known as Thrift Stamp.
Charles K. Haddon was chairman of the county War
Stamp campaign and David Baird, Jr., chairman of the
city campaign. The largest war stamp society in the
212 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
country was organized among the employes of the New
York Shipbuilding Corporation. The school children
joined enthusiastically in the campaign, saving their
pennies until they had gathered twenty-five so as to buy
a stamp. They saved their stamps until they had secured
enough to buy baby war bonds. More than $2,000,000
worth of war stamps were sold in this country.
New York Ship Society
The New York Shipbuilding Corporation War Sav-
ings Society was organized about the first of March, 1918,
through the efforts of Charles J. Langell and within two
weeks 5,400 employes of the shipyard were members.
Collections started the first week in April, when over
$8,000 was invested in stamps. The membership grew
rapidly and was at its heigh th on October 1, 19 18, the
roll then showing 8,237 members out of a total of 12,355
employes.
officers
C J. Langell, President
J. Wilson, Vice President H. Matlack, Assistant Treasurer
M. Hutchinson, Vice President J. Irwin, Treasurer
G. Bossier, Vice President II. Robinson, Vice President
W. O. Morrow, Secretary W. Manduka, Vice President
F. D. Boynton, Assistant Secretary J. Smith, Vice President
SHOP CHAIRMEN
M. Hutchinson, Machine Shop B. Beardsley, Pattern Shop
J. Miller, Electrical Dept. W. Tait, Pipe Shop
J. Stein, Yard Dept. C Langell, Main Office
L. B. Michener, Lumber Yard S. M. Evans, Plate and Angle Shop
W. Thompson, Small Boat Shop J. Smith, Hull Dept.
J. E. Truckses, Boiler Shop H. C. Towle, Yard Office
M. K. Hench, Blacksmith Shop J. Farrell, Watchmen
W. D. Kenny, General Store E- Bachman, Eng. Installation
J. Robinson, Paint Shop J. Taylor, Mold Loft
C. Ihrig, Copper Shop A.. Colbcrg, Rigger9
E. Harrison, Joiner Shop • ^app, Time Dept, Etc.
W. Cline, Tin Shop
The amount invested after the first week never went
below $10,000 per week during 1918 and went up as high
as $128,406.69, but after the armistice was declared there
FINANCES. 213
was a gradual falling off in membership and investments.
The total amount for the year was $608,960.50. At the
outset, $400,000.00 was made the goal and everyone was
gratified to exceed that amount by fifty per cent.
There were a great many competitions during the year
between the different shops and keen rivalry was shown.
The success of the society was due, to a large extent, to
the efforts of the respective chairmen and their secretaries.
Weekly meetings of the chairmen and secretaries were
held and frequently outside speakers attended. Once each
month speakers addressed the men in the yard, sometimes
speaking to as many as 8,000 men. A very attractive sign
was built on the lawn by the main office upon which
amounts paid in by each department was recorded each
week with its total savings to date. This sign was in-
tended to create competition between the departments.
The campaign for the Fourth Liberty Loan was put in
the hands of this society, resulting in a total subscription
of $1,250,000.00 The society for 1919 started off with
much enthusiasm on the part of the newly elected officers,
John Trucksess being elected president. With the incen-
tive of the war lacking, it proved to be a hard task during
19 19 to keep the society going. However, many of the
men made regular savers so that the amount turned in
each week remains almost the same, around $4,000.00.
The New York Shipbuilding Corporation War Savings
Society has done considerably more than sell War Sav-
ings Stamps. The organization has taken care of all
drives such as the Salvation Army drive besides taking-
care of the Libertv Loans.
214 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
AIDING THE FIGHTERS
Young Men's Christian Association
IN this great world drama wherein the county of Cam-
den played such a conspicuous and honorable part,
contributing so lavishly of its life and treasure, none of
her cherished institutions were more completely equipped
for service than the Young Men's Christian Association.
The membership consisting of the very flower of the
virile young manhood of the city, at the very first call
threw themselves into the vortex of general activity with
the greatest enthusiasm that continued until peace was
declared.
Bayard M. Hedrick was general secretary when the
war began and when he was called to war service was
succeeded by A. E. Armitage who devoted all his ener-
gies to the many phases of war work. In the first
Y. M. C. A. drive — November 12-15, 1 9 1 7 — tne quota
had been fixed at $100,000, but this sum was soon ex-
ceeded, the total amount received under the able chair-
manship of F. Morse Archer for this drive was $116,641.
In the United War Work drive — November 11-19,
1918 — the proportionate share of the Y. M. C. A. was
$335,690.50 and this was soon raised. As an organiza-
tion and acting in individual capacity the Y. M. C. A.
contributed to every good cause during the war to an
amount it would be difficult to compute.
Hundreds of meetings, great and small, in the interest
of the war, were held in the Y. M. C. A. headquarters.
The overflowing meeting in the auditorium addressed by
former President William Howard Taft was one of these
notable gatherings. The committee rooms were iri con-
stant service for conferences. The lecture rooms proved
their usefulness in a hundred ways. All the fine modern
equipment of the building was placed at the disposal of
AIDING THE FIGHTERS. 215
war workers. Soldiers and sailors of every rank were
made welcome, finding a comfortable and cheerful home
under the Y. M. C. A. roof both going and coming.
These activities, in the absence of which there would have
been confusion for the workers, and discomfort if not
real suffering for enlisted men, began with the first call
and continued with unabated vigor until the last soldier
and sailor had returned home and the blessings of peace
were fully restored.
United War Work Campaign
It was in the very midst of the celebration incident to
the signing of the armistice, November n, 1918, that the
campaign was launched in behalf of the United War
Work which was designed to raise funds for seven or-
ganizations actively engaged in the great conflict, espec-
ially with respect to the creature comforts of the soldiers.
This included the Salvation Army, Y. M. C. A., Y. W. C.
A., Jewish Welfare Board, Knights of Columbus, Amer-
ican Library Association and the War Camp Commun-
ity. An organization was effected with Lawyer F. Morse
Archer as chairman and David Rash, secretary. Owing
to the handicap incident to the great jubilation on the
opening day of the campaign in connection with the ces-
sation of war, it was several days before it was well un-
der way. Then the workers became very busy and there
was a splendid response, especially on the part of the
working people who virtually sustained it by making
pledges from their weekly wages. Despite the rather dis-
appointing beginning, the campaign went through with a
rush and closed November 18 with a great meeting at the
Y. M. C. A. auditorium when it was announced $335,690
had been raised, the city subscribing $239,468 and the
county $96,222.
2l6 camden county in the great war.
Knights of Coeumbus
On February 5, 19 18, the drive of the Knights of Co-
lumbus was launched. A thorough organization had
been effected with William Leonard Hurley as chairman
and Lawyer John T. Cleary as secretary. It was in the
midst of the severe winter of that year and there were
several heavy snow storms that stayed the efforts of the
workers, but at the close, on February 18, a fund of
$30,000 had been raised.
Salvation Army
There was but one drive for the Salvation Army dur-
ing the war. The quota for Camden was $5,000 and
Judge John B. Kates was chairman of the committee.
The drive opened on February 9, 19 18, and lasted ten
days and the quota was oversubscribed. The Salvation
Army was given a quota of the United War Work Drive
when that was raised during November of the same year.
Jewish Welfare Board
Although the Jewish residents of the city assisted the
Jewish Welfare Work all through the war and conducted
a successful campaign for funds, it was not until January
27, 1919, that a Camden branch of the Jewish Welfare
Board was organized. Prior to that time the Hebrews of
the city worked in every campaign, including that of the
Y. M. C. A. The officers of the Camden Jewish Welfare
Board elected on January 27 were : President, Dr. Meyer
Segal; vice president, Miss Sadie Rosenthal; treasurer,
Mrs. Philip Auerbach; secretary, Samuel A. Weiss; as-
sistent secretary, Miss Rose Mackler. Members visited
Camp Dix weekly where they distributed dainties at the
base hospital among the sick and wounded. They also
conducted interesting entertainments and dances.
aiding the fighters. 217
Community Building
Through the Rotary Club, a War Camp Community
building was erected on ground loaned by the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad near the Market street side of the ter-
minal for the convenience of returning soldiers. It was
in charge of J. H. Cornet sent here by the community
service, while the canteen was looked after by Red Cross
workers. This building was erected just in time to pro-
vide for the thousands of soldiers that passed through
this city from Camp Dix to various points in the coun-
try and it proved a Godsend for them. Prior to its
erection they were compelled to camp in the terminal
and sometimes they were asleep all over the waiting room
floors. Not only those going home, but many on their
way to various hospital centres were looked after in tran-
sit and no activity in the city or county proved of greater
value. Food was furnished them at a nominal figure and
sleeping quarters were provided. Amusements including
music and dancing aided in whiling away their time while
on furloughs in this city or while waiting for trains.
Boy Scouts
Few branches of the home service performed more
creditable work in the various war drives than the Boy
Scouts of Camden county. Under the leadership of
Scout Commissioner H. H. Etter they assisted in every
Liberty Loan campaign by distributing posters and doing
general messenger work for the county committee. The
various troops competed in the sale of Liberty Bonds
with the result that they added thousands of dollars to
the national treasury. They were ever ready to assist the
Red Cross and did very good work in campaigns to se-
cure clothing for war sufferers.
2l8 camden county in the great war.
Poeice Activity
The Police Department was one branch of the city gov-
ernment that was called upon day and night to assist the
national Government in carrying out the war program.
A registration bureau was established at headquarters
where all alien enemy men and women were registered
for the Government. The police also performed cred-
itable service for the United States Department of Jus-
tice, running out evidence to prevent enemy spies and
propagandists from working in this vicinity. However,
their main activity was the suppression of seditious acts
and remarks against the Government. They also arrest-
ed many deserters from the army and draft evaders from
other cities. When the lightless nights were ordered in
January, 19 18, they worked long hours to protect the
traveling public on darkened highways. But aside from
this work of enforcing national laws the patrolmen joined
enthusiastically in all of the war drives, making door
to door canvasses for the Red Cross, Salvation Army and
Liberty Loan campaigns.
Fire Department
The Fire Department of the city kept a constant vigil
during the war to prevent the spread of fire, thus extend-
ing a sheltering wing over the many war industry plants
in operation in the city. The department had an occasion
to demonstrate its efficiency when a large plate and angle
shop of the New York Shipbuilding Corporation was de-
stroyed by fire on the night of September II, 1918, dur-
ing a Liberty Loan parade. The flames threatened four-
teen destroyers under construction for the Navy Depart-
ment and the firemen wedged themselves between the
blazing angle shop and warships and managed to save
them.
aiding the fighters. 219
Ninth Ward Association.
The Ninth Ward Republican Association at Broad-
way and Royden street made a splendid record during
the war. Patriotism was placed above partisanship and
on April 4, 19 17, the association had a joint session with
the Camden Democratic Association, at which time a
resolution was adopted pledging the support of both as-
sociations to the President and Congress. The Ninth
Ward Association had a membership of four hundred
members and every member subscribed in every Liberty
Loan, Red Cross, Y. M. C. A., Knights of Columbus,
Salvation Army, Jewish Welfare and United War Work
campaigns. The subscriptions amounted to nearly $250,-
000. At the close of the war the association erected a
magnificent victory arch across Broadway, which became
the pride of the city. It cost $6,500 and the money was
raised by subscription among the members.
Yorkship Village
Because of the scarcity of rentable homes in the city
during the war the Emergency Fleet Corporation built
the Yorkship Village adjacent to the New York Ship-
yards and the Norweg Village near the Pusey and Jones
Shipyards, Gloucester. One thousand homes were built
on the Yorkship tract, which Camden City Council an-
nexed from Haddon township and floated bonds for
$500,000 for improvements, the erection of a fire house
and school. This operation was completed during the
year 19 19.
220 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
INDUSTRY
CAMDEN county became a bee hive of industry in
the manufacture of war materials when the nation
entered the world war. Two big shipyards, the Pennsyl-
vania and New Jersey Shipyards, were erected at Glou-
cester. While yards were being constructed on territory
formerly occupied by once famous resorts and hotels
on the lower beach, ships were being constructed.
The New York Shipyard grew almost over night into
one of the largest shipyards in the world. The size of
the plant was tripled. The Government frantically called
for ships and Camden and Gloucester yards answered
the call with a mighty wield of the hammer. The Tuck-
ahoe was built in 28 days, establishing a world's record.
President Wilson sent his congratulations by telegraph
at the launching and Director General Charles M.
Schwab awarded a contract for the extension of the great
plant far into Gloucester at the cost of $10,000,000.
The Mathis Yacht Building Company devoted its
plant to the construction of hulls for powerful seaplanes.
The Victor Talking Machine Company began the manu-
facture of aeroplane and seaplane parts and was beginning
the manufacture of rifles when the armistice was signed.
Strandwitz and Scott manufactured gasoline tanks for
American aeroplanes. The Argo Mills, of Gloucester,
manufactured army blankets. The General Chemical
Company manufactured powerful chemicals needed as ex-
plosives and for other war work. The woolen mills manu-
factured army sweaters. And even the most obscure
plant was making something on a contract or subcontract
for winning the war. The Camden Forge Company's
plant worked night and day on the manufacture of driv-
ing shafts for government boats and their plant grew
many times its original size. The rug mills of Glouces-
CAMDEN COUNTY IX Till- GREAT WAR. 221
INDUSTRY.
223
ter wove army blankets and the local shoe factories
worked night and day on army orders. The large kid
works, for which this city is known, turned out thousands
of tons of hides to be made over into shoes for the army.
New York Shipyard
During the war enough merchant vessels were launch-
ed from the New York Shipyard to deliver a total of
1,700,000 tons of cargo per annum to the shores of
France in ten round trips. These figures require a reduc-
tion of about 10,000 tons for coal consumed on the voy-
age over, making a total dead weight of 1,690,000 tons.
It must be remembered that throughout the war period
the firm was handicapped in its production by extensions
to the plant going on at the same time as the balance of
the plant was turning out the finished product. Any
engineer will admit that it is impracticable for a plant to
maintain its maximum production while extensions on
a large scale are being made to the plant. Add to this
the fact that it was up to the established yards to supply
the officers and leading men for the new yards in very
large numbers, thus decreasing their own efficiency in
order that the available shipbuilding talent in the country
might be disposed to the best advantage. Add to this
also the fact that the New York Shipyard was construct-
ing Navy work at the same time, and that through the
shops material for heavy freighters and light destroyers
was being handled at the same time. It has been only
lately that the new destroyer plant has been in full
operation.
It will also be admitted that such a diversity of work
as represented in these lists could not be handled by one
plant as efficiency as in two plants with the work sub-
divided to suit the facilities of the two plants.
A further fact to be noted is that the shortage of skill-
ed shipbuilding labor applied to the established yards with
224 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
well nigh as much force as to the new or so-called fabri-
cating plants so much so that training schools had to be
established in practically all the big yards, this yard be-
ing no exception and having its training school.
Vessels built at this plant during the last eighteen years
have fully borne their part in the war. The S. S.
"Tyler," old Dominion Liner, was unfortunately sunk,
but two New York Ship vessels successfully withstood
severe mine and torpedo damage. These two were the S.
S. "Gulflight," which was very badly torpedoed forward,
and the S. S. '"Nebraskan," which suffered from mine
damage under the bows. Both these vessels were suc-
cessfully brought into port and repaired.
From the entry of the United States into the war the
New York Shipbuilding Corporation launched a con-
siderable tonnage of shipping to play its part in the con-
flict.
The list is as follows: Colliers, 9; oil tankers. 6; gen-
eral freighters, 3 ; troop ships, 2 ; battleships, 1 ; destroy-
ers, 7 ; mine planters, 1 ; carfloats, 3 ; total vessels, 32.
The accepted method of summarizing production for
merchant work is by deadweight carrying capacity ex-
pressed in tons of 2,240 pounds each. Applying this to
the merchant ships listed above following is the tonnage :
Colliers, 72,454; oil tankers, 70,926; general freight-
ers, 16,507; troop ships, 10,650; total, 170,537.
To these must be added the warship work as lisced
above as well as the carfloats. The warships are of in-
finitely greater complexity than the merchant work and
represent a product practically unobtainable except at an
established shipyard. These totals represent the output
from April 6, 19 17, to December 31, 1918.
The oil tank ship production is peculiarly gratifying,
inasmuch as it is particularly high grade work ; the de-
mand for oil on the their side has been tremendous, par-
ticularly since the Russian and Rumanian fields were un-
available to the Allied cause.
INDUSTRY. 225
Summarizing merchant vessels by deadweight carry-
ing capacity the following tonnage is given :
Colliers, 72,454; oil tankers, 70,926; general freight-
ers, 16,507; total, 159,887.
The growth of the shipyard is best illustrated by the
fact that the firm employed 4,651 persons in April, 1917,
and when the armistice was signed on November 11,
1918, there were 13,210 on the company's pay roll. At
the time of the publication of this book 19,000 were em-
ployed by the firm. When America entered the Great
War the New York Shipyard owned ten ways. At the
signing of the armistice the plant had twenty-four ways
and at the time of the publication of this book the ways,
numbered twenty-eight.
Pusey and Jones Yards
One of the enterprises developed during the World
W r ar of which Camden county can justly be proud is the
shipbuilding plant of the Pusey and Jones Company, lo T
cated in Gloucester City, along the Delaware river on
the north bank of Timber creek, and extending north-
ward almost to Gloucester ferry.
The Gloucester yards of the Pusey and Jones Com-
pany were originally built by two separate companies,
the Pennsylvania Shipbuilding Company and the New
Jersey Shipbuilding Company, although both companies
were owned by the same interests.
The Pennsylvania Shipbuilding Company was incor-
porated April 27, 191 6, although work of buildings the
yard was commenced April 1, 19 16. The first keel was
laid September 9, 19 16, boat was launched August 23,
191 7, and delivered on March 14, 19 18. The first boat
was built while the yard was in its primitive state of erec-
tion and without cranes, shops or other modern facilities,
using temporary and crudely constructed machinery and
226 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
appliances for fabricating material and an ordinary con-
tractor's stiff leg derrick for erection.
The New Jersey Shipbuilding Company was incor-
porated May 3, 19 17, and work on the plant was com-
menced June 20, 19 1 7. This yard was built to help meet
the great demand for ships caused by the activities of the
submarine and to provide manufacturing facilities for the
building of machinery, boilers, etc., which were unobtain-
able from usual sources, due to the pressure of other war
demands.
Although great difficulty was encountered in the erec-
tion of the yard, due to the fact that all buildings had to
be placed on piling, the first keel was laid May 16, 1918.
boat launched September 15, 19 18, and delivered Feb-
ruary 18, 19 1 9.
On December 21, 19 17, the interests owning the Penn-
sylvania and New Jersey yards acquired the yard of
Pusey and Jones Company, Wilmington and the three
companies were merged into one and known as the Pusey
and Jones Company.
The Gloucester yards comprised 186 acres of land on
which is constructed 22 main buildings of brick and steel
construction, consisting of a main office, two plate and
angle shops, two mold lofts, two angle bending shops, a
machine and boiler shop, a joiner shop and dry kiln,
power house, power sub-station, general warehouse, hos-
pital and 185 smaller buildings of frame construction.
There are eleven launching ways, over which are eleven
Gantry cranes of modern design, being of the covered
type, with four corner booms and eight fixed hoists on
each. This design is new to the Delaware river ship-
building district.
The company has its own water tower and mains, sup-
plying water throughout the yards, its high pressure air
system and a complete sanitary system.
These yards are considered among the best equipped
and most efficiently designed shipyards in this country,
CAMDEN COUNTY TX Till'. GREAT WAR. 227
r
2. 2!
? h
o
O CO
o pi
Si JO
o
^^P-
INDUSTRY. 229
and were built with the purpose of building standardized
ships, being among the first in America to adopt this sys-
tem. Another distinctive feature of the Gloucester yards
is the method of launching, being the only yard in the east
launching ships sideways.
At the close of the war, the Gloucester yards were just
reaching their full development. They contributed to the
United States Navy two mine sweepers, the "Thrush" and
the "Eider," each being 180 feet in length; and to com-
merce, five tankers, the "Chestnut Hill," the "John M.
Connolly," the "Alllentown," the "Brandywine" and the
"Bessemer," of 7,000 deadweight tons each, being 380
feet long, 50 feet 9 inches beam and 31 feet, 3 inches
deep ; two cargo steamers, the "Indianapolis" and the
"Henry Clay," of 12,500 deadweight tons, each being
455 feet long, 60 feet beam and 36 feet 8 inches deep;
and three cargo steamers, the "Castle Point," the "Castle
Wood" and the "Castle Town," of 5,000 deadweight
tons each, being 335 feet long, 50 feet beam and 24 feet
9 inches deep — or a total tonnage of 75,000 deadweight
tons. At the writing of this book there were being out-
fitted one 7,000 ton tanker and two 12,500 ton cargo
ships, and there are on the ways two 12,500 ton cargo
ships.
The Gloucester yards employed during the war an
average of 6,500 persons, of which the maximum num-
ber within the draft age was 1,600 of which 80 were
men who had been drafted and released from camps be-
fore employment. The men were so well selected that
only fifty were drafted from the yards. This firm was
among the first to establish a school of instruction. This
school, with H. V. Mason, chairman of Delaware River
Committee on Training, as its head, and with eleven able
instructors trained 1,169 men ^ n tne various shipbuilding
trades. With these men the "Henry Clay," a 12,500
ton cargo ship was erected until within three weeks of
launching. Of the 1,169 men trained, y66 of them were
23O CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
transferred to the operating department as skilled me-
chanics. A school of blue print reading was also main-
tained, instructing 137 employes in blue print reading.
In order to furnish housing accommodations for the
employes 145 acres of land situated south of Gloucester
between Big Timber and Little Timber creeks were ac-
quired and the Noreg Village was built. In the village
there are 447 from 4 to 7 room dwellings, one large de-
partment store of sufficient size to carry 20 different lines
of business, one school to accommodate 250 pupils, a fire
house equipped with modern fire apparatus and a well
furnished club house. The houses have all conveniences,
electric light, gas and heat, and rent at a nominal figure.
The Gloucester yards were started long before the
United States entered the war, by Christoffer Hannevig.
a Norwegian capitalist and ship owner, who at the out-
break of the World War among the European powers,
was one of the first to grasp the situation of the neces-
sity for ships such a war would bring, and in his deter-
mination to assist in supplying this necessity decided on
the building of a shipyard in America, where the supply
of ship material was ample. So when the United States
entered the war and launched out on its shipping pro-
gram these yards were well under way, and on August
3, 1917, Mr. Hannevig cheerfully turned over to the
government all his contracts and the operation of the
yards, which have been under the control of the Emer-'
gency Fleet Corporation since that date.
From the very beginning of the Gloucester yards one
of the leading spirits in the designing and building of
them was Henry Lysholm, who as vice president and gen-
eral manager of both yards, directed all work of plant
design and construction and ship erection.
All officials and employes of the yards worked to the
limit of their ability, unselfishly, even beyond their phy-
sical endurance, as exemplified by the untimely death of
General Superintendent H. V. Ramsay, who in his over-
INDUSTRY. 231
worked condition became an easy victim of the influenza
epidemic.
In the Liberty Loans over $1,000,000.00 were sub-
scribed by employes of the Gloucester yards, going far
beyond their quota in each loan. Likewise the Y. M. C.
A., Red Cross and United War Work Funds were sub-
scribed far beyond the quotas set.
Thus through foresightedness of Mr. Hannevig and
with the co-operation of his fellow associates and em-
ployes, the Pusey and Jones Company's Gloucester yards,
contributed well to the bridge of ships across the Atlantic
which fed and supplied the American Army, who with
their allies brought victory and peace to the world.
Mathis Shipyard
The shipyard of the Mathis Yacht Building Co., at the
head of Point street, was tripled in size during the war to
take care of the building of seaplane hulls, submarine
chasers and tugs for the Emergency Fleet Corporation.
One hundred and twenty-five seaplane hulls were con-
structed at this yard, twenty-five submarine chasers and
seven large tugs. The firm also repaired patrol boats
for the Government in connection with its work. In
fact this firm, which prior to the war, constructed noth-
ing but pleasure yachts, devoted its entire energy to war
work.
232 CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
INDEX TO CONTENTS.
Page
Foreword 5
Historical Committee 6
Introductory 9
General Pershing's Tribute to Heroic Dead 12
Camden County Heroic Dead 15
Records of Heroic Dead 17
Departure of Troops 49
Naval Militia 49
Departure of Guardsmen 50
Twenty-ninth Division in France 56
Plan of Battle 59
Battle Begins 60
Division Cited 68
104th Engineers 71
112th Field Artillery 74
Selective Service 77
Seventy-eighth Division 80
Infantry at Arras 83
Artillery Movements 84
Million Dollar Barrage 88
Meuse-Argonne 88
New Jersey Troops Famous 96
Their Home Coming 98
Admiral Henry B. Wilson 108
Prominent Men 114
Representatives 114
Lieutenant Colonel Harry C. Kramer 114
Major Winfield S. Price 123
Major Harold E. Stephenson 124
Lieutenant Colonel Ralph W. E. Donges 129
Red Cross 133
Home Defenses 149
State Militia 149
Second Field Artillery 151
Home Guard 151
Camden Battalion 153
Public Safety Committee 157
City Loyalty meeting 166
All Special Officers 167
Victory Jubilee Committee 168
Peace Jubilee 180
INDEX TO CONTENTS. 233
Page
War Bureaus 193
Fuel Administration 193
Food Administration 194
War Resources Committee 197
City Farm Gardens 201
Liberty Sings 202
Home Registration 205
War Library Committee 205
Employment Bureau 206
Four Minute Men 206
Finances 208
Liberty Loan Drives 208
War Savings Stamps 211
New York Ship Society 212
Aiding the Fighters 214
Young Men's Christian Association 214
United War Work Campaign 215
Knights of Columbus 216
Salvation Army 216
Jewish Welfare Board 216
Community Building 217
Boy Scouts 217
Police Activity 218
Fire Department 218
Ninth Ward Association 219
Yorkship Village 219
Industry 220
New York Shipyard 223
Pusey and Jones Yards 225
Mathis Shipyard 231
Index to Illustrations.
President Wilson 3
President's War Cabinet 7
General Pershing I 3
Departure of Third Regiment 48
Departure of Battery B 54
General Morton 57
114th Infantry in Action 61
Major Selby 65
Captain West 69
234 INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.
Page
General McRae 81
Artillery in Action 85
311th Infantry in Action 91
114th Infantry Passing Down Broadway 100
114th Infantry Marching Under Ninth Ward Arch 101
Battery B Arriving at Newport News, Va 105
Admiral Wilson 109
Hon. David Baird 115
Lieutenant Colonel Kramer 120
Major Price 121
Major Stephenson 126
Lieutenant Colonel Donges 127
Dr. Daniel Strock 132
George W. Whyte 135
Red Cross Workers Marching 139
Red Cross Motor Messengers 143
Governor Edge 148
Mayor Ellis 156
Chas. M. Curry 159
Win. D. Sayrs 163
Court of Honor 169
Peace Jubilee Parade 171
Camden County Peace Jubilee Admiral Wilson Reviewing
the Parade 174
James J. Scott 175
Francis F. Patterson 177
W. Penn Corson 182
James H. Long 183
Frank S. Van Hart 188
Frank Sheridan 189
Samuel C. Curriden 191
Walter J. Staats 195
Hon. Frank T. Lloyd 199
Hon. Chas. A. Wolverton 203
M. F. Middleton. Jr 209
Destroyer Jacob Jones 221
Launching of Bessemer 227
MAGRATH PRINTING HOUSE
121 FEDERAL ST.
CAMDEN, N. J.